Blue Fire:Chapter 1
by Moonfire
Summary: A new X-member joins the team...a StormKurtAdara triangle ensues in following chapters
1. Chapter 1: Lightening Strikes Twice

Blue Fire  
  
(This is set in the X-men2 universe)  
  
Running. It was what she was best at. From her abusive stepmother, from street gangs, and now, from the black ops group who wanted her dead. Adara Stewart, you should have known better than to enter the Air Force as a last resort to unemployment and a meddling stepmom. Why couldn't you have stuck it out? Why, why, why???   
  
The 21 year old mused back upon her life prior to this desperate night. All her pathetic life she'd been visited by things that go bump in the night...aliens, fairies, angels, demons, ghosts, you name it. The predominate force had been a race of aliens from an unknown planet, who had implanted some of their genetics into her real mother. She had died when Adara was only 15 of cancer and knew nothing of the aliens' tampering with her body. Adara was mostly human, but carried some of the genes from the alien race...and an implant in her head. That was what the black ops had wanted from her, and the natural abilities that implant enhanced. There was a whole generation between Adara and her two brothers and one sister. Her father had told her he and her mother had tried to conceive her for seventeen years and even he knew her birth was no coincidence. It had no doubt been planned by the aliens...the Sississawoians, Adara learned. She had heard that word in a dream she knew was always more than that when it involved them. Through the years of her meeting them, she still couldn't tell what were physical encounters and what were mental. She was sure some of them were projected scenarios. Like the time she went to their planet at 15 and was missed at camp for several hours. This event was not the first or last of its kind. The leader of the group of aliens who contacted her spent more time with her, and got more intimate with her, than any of the others. He had even implanted a child the year previously, and then taken it out two months later to transfer to a female of his own race. His explanation was that the child could not live on Earth, even though he looked mostly human. His only giveaway were deep sparkly blue slanted eyes and silvery white hair. The aliens were slender and bald with intense slanted eyes and creamy skin. They would be considered beautiful to some humans, freakish to others. Adara entertained the belief that someday she would go to live with them until one night two years ago when Shayda told her that she must stay on Earth. She had been devistated.   
  
Flash forward to five months ago. Adara had mistakenly trusted a self-proclaimed "ufo investigator" for Wright Patterson Air Force Base with her stories, thinking he would provide a listening ear and help her contact a good hypnotist to help her get the memories back she had lost. She had gone to him because she only had partial memories of her experiences, aside from the freaky little things that happened between them on Earth. One of the "freaky little things" that had gotten the investigator's attention was the ring of red dots she had found on her back the morning after her impregnation encounter with Shayda the night before...a mark that had stayed there for three days before fading away. It wasn't until after Adara had been assigned to her first post in Japan a few months later that she found out the investigator had sold her out to some unknown persons in the government. She had been kidnapped right out of her own dormroom in the middle of the night and taken to the base.   
  
She shifted gears so violently on the stolen jeep that the device protested with a metallic ripping sound. She had taken care to dismantle the tracking system; in other words, zapping the crap out of it, that would trace the location of the vehicle by computer. She was now racing through the desert night on her way to anywhere but where she was. She'd think of a logical location later. At this moment, it was survival. Her adrenalin rushed through her veins as the night wind rushed through her long, disheveled blonde hair. The escape had been almost flawless. The facility cameras were disarmed with a flick of her wrist. The guards had been rendered speechless by her...animal magnetism...literally. If she ever got to a place where she could relax, she would have a good laugh at remembering how they had fallen over like dominoes as soon as the blue lightening from her fingers had hit them. The almost flawless part was the flesh wound compliments of the laser fence she'd not quite levitated high enough over. She made a mental note to get the burns treated...and a pedicure.   
  
As her mind started to clear, Adara remembered the cabin at her parent's Idaho mountain property. That was about 600 miles away, but it was her only hope. The gold-mining property had been in the family since the 1920s and now that both her parents (except her stepmother) were dead, it didn't get used much anymore. It was also to her advantage that the cabins had been moved a couple of miles over the hill to another lot over the years, making it harder to locate. It wasn't even on any maps. The so-called "doctors" had tried to implant her with a tracking device, but she had soon learned how to short it out. They still had very effective search parties. Speed, if not darkness, was her friend. Still, speed wasn't much of an advantage once the ops groups became mobilized and went after her, which she knew wouldn't be long. At least she had the advantage of a good hiding place. It would buy her some time. For the zillionth time, Adara wondered if there were others like her being chased through other deserts by power hungry control freaks who were desperate for world domination....who wanted nothing more than to use her kind as weapons to obtain those goals.   
  
She threw her head to the cold stars and yelled "WHY ME?"  
  
* * *  
  
Professor Xavier shifted his focus constantly to try to pin down this new mutant. The red energy field was zipping around Cerebro like a ping pong ball. It finally came to rest, but still floated in and out of the Professor's grasp. Xavier locked onto it before it slipped into the ether again, like trying to capture an elusive fly under glass. This one was unusual. He'd never seen an energy like it. There were also white pinpoints not far behind that showed humans were after her. Just as soon as he got the location, he let go. He didn't want to alarm her, and there would be plenty of time for introductions when she arrived at the school. The important thing right now was to get this young lady out of harm's way.   
  
Ororo passed by just as he rolled out of Cerebro. "Storm. I'd like you to prepare the transport. We're getting a new mutant. I've given you the coordinates..."   
  
He punched in the last few numbers into a hand-held machine that he then transferred to the ship. "You might want to take Scott with you. She won't immediately recognize us as friends . I can't tell what her specific powers are yet, but she has a very strange aura, and very bright. I would take all the precautions available. "  
  
Ororo hesitated, as though she were debating whether to ask a question, but decided not to. Not for the last time, she wished Jean were there with her.   
  
"Yes, Professor." she said. Just as she turned to carry out her orders, she thought of bringing Kurt. His teleportation power could be useful if their damsel in distress had to be rescued from inside a building or enemy craft. Before a word even left her mouth, the Professor gave his permission.   
  
* * *  
  
The blip on the screen of the Blackhawk told Ororo that the subject of their intended rescue was just a mile and a half away. They landed well out of sight of the main dirt road in a pine-tree-shielded meadow. Kurt looked puzzled.   
  
"Why can't we get closer?"  
  
Storm looked back at him as she unstrapped herself from the chair. "We can't just march in there and say 'come out with your hands up'. We're rescuing, not arresting."  
  
"Is that what you call how you found me?" Kurt retored teasingly.   
  
"That was different. Now we're gonna need you to play taxi. That clearing with the cabin over that hill...(she pointed)...is where we need to be. But don't set us down right IN the clearing. She could be anywhere in that area, inside or outside. Let's go to the edge of the trees behind the cabin so we can try to see her before she sees us."  
  
"Good thinking." Scott smirked.   
  
Ororo grabbed Kurt on one side and Scott the other. Their teleport went as planned save for one small problem. Kurt stepped on a scampering chipmunk at the arrival point.   
  
"Verdammt!" he exclaimed, crossing himself. Scott and Storm made not very convincing attempts at hiding giggles.   
  
They found themselves a stone's throw away from a fast-flowing river in front of the cabin. The cabin was actually a sided-in old trailer that had been remodeled with solar paneling and a wrap around porch. Storm sighed. This place was so comforting and beautiful she wished she could use it as her OWN getaway resort. The only sound was the murmuring of the river, the sigh of a sporadic breeze, an occasional chirping bird and chattering of scolding squirrels. She could just curl up and go to sleep right where she was in the soft grass by the riverbank. Kurt and Scott's reactions were similar as they stood with dreamy expressions on their faces, observing the surroundings. Even the mineral and floral smells were hypnotizing.   
  
"Remind me to take my next vacation here." Scott murmured.   
  
"This looks like the forests back home." Kurt said, staring at the river. He looked back at the other two. "I'm thirsty. I'll just take a drink over there." Before they could warn him about giardia, Kurt had teleported to the river bank. Scott and Ororo ventured into the cabin to have a look around.   
  
Meanwhile, Kurt had reached the bank of the river. As he bent down to cup his hands full of water, a splashing sound made his head jerk to the right. That was when he saw...her. Simultaneous fear, embarassment, shock and adreniline-pumping arousal shot through him. Her skin was white like alabaster, her nude body petite but shapely. She bent backward to rinse her hair in the moving water, and it spread out like a gold fan sparkling in the sun. His tail shot up like an explaination point and he hissed instictively.   
  
  
  
"Mein Gott!"  
  
An ear-splitting scream was her response, followed by a crackling of electricity that was moving very rapidly in his direction. He teleported away just in time as a finger of it zapped the riverbank where he had just been squatting. The commotion drew the attention of Ororo and Scott, who came running. When they saw her, the shock on their faces matched that of Kurt's, who was still teleporting around in crazy circles as he stammered apologies in both German and English.   
  
"GET OFF MY PROPERTY!!" shreiked the woman in the river, her whole body aglow with blue electricity. She was surrounded by so much of it that it had spread several feet around and above her, bouncing off the boulders in the river and threatening to set the nearby trees on fire. To the three of them, she looked otherworldly and dangerous. Even Storm's usually cool reserve was broken as her mouth hung open at the sight of this terrified and angry mutant. Scott was the first to speak to her.   
  
"Just calm down!" he yelled through the crackling blue streaks. On instinct, the woman zapped a bolt in his direction in answer, and he countered with a blast from his eyes just in time. Blue and red fire pushed at each other like an arm wrestling match. Kurt had ported far behind them and watched in fascinated horror from behind a tree. He was crossing himself and praying fervently. Adara's exhaustion from her long trip, the fighting and the fear finally caught up to her, and the energy field dissapated. She was so weak she collapsed and fell beneath the water. Storm waded quickly into the river and pulled her out as Scott turned his back. Kurt had found the woman's clothes and walked tentetively up to Ororo, averting his eyes while he handed them to the weather witch.   
  
"Thank you, Kurt." Ororo said. "But I think we're gonna need a blanket."   
  
With an embarassed glance in her direction, Kurt ran off to the cabin and returned with the requested item. Ororo covered her with it. Only moments later, Adara came to. With a gasp at seeing Ororo bending over her and Scott right behind her, she tried to get up to escape. Ororo held her down and said, "You're safe. You don't need to run from us."  
  
"Who are you???" came the predicted demand. "Are you from the black ops?"  
  
"No, we work for Professor Xavier." Storm quickly said, hoping she could convince her. "He runs a school for mutants. We live there with him and we'd like you to come with us. You'd be safe there."  
  
Adara's shoulders relaxed slightly...but only slightly. "A school for mutants? Come on..."  
  
"You'll be a lot safer there than you are here. And you need to get checked out by a medical examiner. You might be hurt in ways you're not aware of."  
  
Adara stared at them. Well, at least her question had been answered...there WERE others. But could she trust them? Her next words were cut off from the sudden sound of approaching helicopters, and Adara jumped, her energy recharging anew, if only a temporary burst of adreniline.   
  
"Okay!" was all she said, and they all started to run. The threatening sound of the blades beating the air closer and closer put Adara on automatic pilot, and she summoned up an energy blast at the same time Ororo created a lightening storm to delay them until she, Adara and Scott could hook onto Kurt for the teleport back to the waiting Blackhawk. She only hoped they could reach it in time before these guys surrounded it. Still running, they all grabbed Kurt and ported back to the ship just as the copters were circling for a takeover. The started firing at them just as Ororo was frantically working the controls to get them airborne. At least Adara was dressed by now, though she didn't have time to strap herself into a seat. The takeoff was so sudden and jarring that she went sliding right into Kurt, who was trying to secure his own position in his seat. She hit the seat so hard that it knocked her out. The persuing copters didn't get far because the Blackhawk was much more powerful. Just the wind it created when it increased speed was enough to knock them back.   
  
They made it to the mansion without so much as a scratch, but emotionally, they were not much better off than the still unconscious Adara.   
  
Kurt carried her through the door of the school, where they were greeted by a concerned Xavier. "Kurt, get this young lady up to the infirmary right away. Scott and Storm, help me prepare a room for her."  
  
"She's just passed out, Professor." Ororo explained.   
  
"We can't be certain. We need to run scans to find out exactly what she is and what she's capable of. You informed me enroute that she uses electricity, but I'm afraid that's too vague. That capability can run a whole gamut of other possibilities and it can be very unpredictable. I'm concerned for her welfare firsthand. Our first priority is to revive her."  
  
Kurt teleported to the med room and let Dr. Hank take over. The doctor had replaced Jean. Kurt left almost reluctantly, his concern and fascination for her had grown since the river incident, and now he was not so afraid of her. As he looked down into her face, he thought she looked like an angel as she slept, her blonde hair spreading out like a halo on the table. His thoughts were interrupted by the doctor's voice.   
  
"Thank you Kurt. I'll take it from here."  
  
With a nod, Kurt bamfed out. His next thought was of Ororo, and he realized she was probably still in shock over what had just happened. He was starting to feel more and more like her protector, though he knew how strong and independent she was. He couldn't seem to stay away from her. Her image had floated in and out of his mind ever since they'd met, and his soul was in turmoil. It wasn't like he'd never been in relationships before, but Ororo fascinated and confused him with all the glory and fury of the storms she created. And he hadn't been lying when he told her he thought she was beautiful.   
  
Kurt now stood at her door, his heart hammering wildly. It took all his reserve to knock. He finally found his voice.   
  
"Ororo?"   
  
* * *  
  
Adara meandered through the mansion, only she wasn't walking. She was astral projecting. She was also hoping she had a body to go back to, the way things had happened. But for now, she was gonna check this mother out.  
  
She wondered if she had a form when she did this, and what it looked like. It was hard to tell. Every time she'd found herself in familiar and unfamiliar realms, other beings she'd met reacted differently. Some could see her, some could not. Some looked placid, others shocked. She wondered if she glowed, was an energy form, or some other person, or a projection based on the viewer's expectations. One thing was constant though. She FELT like herself, no matter what form she took or didn't take. In this state, she was more fluid than water. She could go through things, fly, draw items to her, start fires, telepath, teleport, travel to any dimension or world she wanted, and embarassingly, do kinky telekinetic things to herself sexually. She wondered if she affected the actual physical world with these astral abilities, or just the astral world. Maybe some of them, but not all of them. When other people she met in this state reacted to her presence she wondered if they were really there, or they were just her OWN projections. For now though, it looked very much like she was in the mansion, wandering around. If she met a living person and they reacted to her, she would then know it was real and not just a dream or astral state projection. It was like a drug trip without the drugs, and one never knew for sure what was real and what was not. It drove her crazy sometimes.   
  
For awhile, Adara explored the levels of the school, absorbing everything like a sponge. This place was one of the most exiting and beautiful she'd ever seen. Like a giant maze where you never knew you were going to end up. The style was an architectual mix of Victorian, modern and high tech. It caught her off guard, even in THIS state. The homey look was on the upper levels; the high tech was down below where the labs, garage, Blackhawk pad and Cerebro were kept. Adara was more fascinated with Cerebro than any other of the rooms. It looked like a holographic chamber, like one she'd seen on Shayda's planet. Only Shayda's hadn't been completely enclosed. His had a wrap around window on the upper half, and when she had stepped into the chamber, she had floated and seen things in that window. This was where the Professor found her, at least her mind energy.   
  
"Hello, Adara." he said calmly, catching her off guard. She turned her "eyes" to him, and wondered if he could actually see her. She could see him though, sitting in his chair looking up at her. She was confused. Was this really the physical Professor, or was he projecting a form himself? Apparently, he didn't need to be asleep or unconscious to do it, like she did. Adara was in awe at the thought.   
  
"Who are you?" she said, not so eloquently.   
  
"I am Professor Xavier, who runs this school. Funny how we end up meeting in the first place I found you." He read her confusion. "This is Cerebro, a machine I built with the help of an old friend that helps me find mutants. I brought you here because you were in long-term danger. I'd like to know more about you. It seems you possess a form of telepathy, but I've never seen anything like it. You also can manipulate electromagnetic fields, am I correct?"  
  
"Yes, Professor, that's right." Adara said, amazed that this conversation was actually taking place. In this state, she was also less inhibited, and also more aware of others' intentions, as everything lay open to her. "I've been sensetive to it my whole life. I've messed up other people's lives because of it. It's gotten me into trouble more times than I can count." She winced. "I want to thank you for saving me from my...predicament." She wondered if she should tell him about the alien part, and if he knew about it already. She was also afraid that he would invade her mental privacy when she didn't want to reveal something. He didn't seem like the type to, but she had a feeling that at times he might know things and keep them to himself, too. The Professor smiled warmly at her gratitude.   
  
"I think you'll be much better off here, and more comfortable. But right now I'm more worried about your physical state than your spiritual. The doctor is doing some tests to make sure we get you back on track. You've been through more than any mortal should have to go through, and we don't want to lose you. As soon as you get back in your body, you need to rest...that goes for your mind, too."  
  
Adara was suddenly reminded of the urgency of her situation. She didn't want to be a floating energy form forever, and at that moment she desperately wanted to check on her physical form in the med room.   
  
"Thank you Professor...I'll...talk to you later." With what she hoped was a smile, she rushed with the speed of thought to see what the doctor had found. She was scared. She wanted her body back, like NOW. As she hovered over her still unconcious but intact form, she watched the doctor intently. She was hooked up to machines that read her vital signs and was relieved to see her heart at least seemed to be working normally. Closing her eyes, Adara flooded into her body, her eyes opening suddenly and coming to with a gasp. The doctor stood back, then reassured her.   
  
"Good to have you back. You've had a nasty shock, but you'll be ok. Just relax."  
  
It took awhile for her to orient herself. "How long have I been out?" she asked feebly.   
  
"Only for an hour or so. I've revived patients in far worse states than you, so this is nothing. How are you feeling?"  
  
"Like shit."  
  
"That's understandable." Dr. Mack smiled. "You need to eat and rest, young lady. I think your room's almost ready. You feel strong enough to get up?"  
  
"I will be in a few minutes. Just gotta recover from the trip on the other side. Oh, and the Professor says 'good job'".   
  
Ignoring the doctor's puzzled look as he helped her up from the table, Adara startled as she saw Scott standing in the doorway.   
  
"May I escort you to your room, my lady?" he said in mock elegance, offering her his hand.   
  
Adara resisted the urge to snicker. "That depends on if you have eyes only for me."   
  
With a humored grin, Scott said, "Let's go." and they walked to the much more comfortable suite that was to be her new home.   
  
"I'm sorry I zapped you back there." Adara apologized as they stood at the door. "I 'll save that for the enemy from now on."   
  
Scott waved his hand in dismissal. "No problem. See you around." He said congenially, and walked away. Adara sighed, and went into her new room, which was quite lovely. She'd admire the décor later. She promptly fell on the bed and slept as soon as her head hit the pillow. 


	2. Chapter 2: A Rose Without Thorns

Blue Fire 2: A Rose Without Thorns  
  
Little wisps of strategically-placed cloud swirled and hovered above the hanging and potted plants, dropping their rain onto the thirsty soil. Ororo almost didn't hear the shy knock upon her door. She listened again. When there was no repeated knock, she called out "Who is it?"  
  
"It's me..." a hesitant, familiar voice muttered on the other side. Ororo smiled.   
  
"Come in, Kurt." she said, opening the door for him.   
  
"Guten abend, fraulein Ororo. I...have something to give you, as a token of our friendship, and to thank you for rescuing me from my former life." he smiled slightly, reaching into a pocket and drawing out a gold guardian angel dangling from a necklace.   
  
Her mouth opened in suprize, and she looked from the necklace to Kurt, her eyes sparkling. "Thank you, Kurt. It's beautiful!" She turned it over in her hand, shocked and flattered at the unexpected gesture. "But you didn't have to do this, you know."  
  
"I insist."   
  
She was still staring at him in disbelief as he stole behind her to clasp it around her neck. "Even angels need guardians to protect them, mein shon der Schutzengel."  
  
"If this is your way of asking me on a date, the answer's yes." Ororo smiled, looking down to hide the furious blush that had crept over her skin.   
  
Now it was Kurt's turn to blush. "Nein, that was not exactly my intention...but I have no objections." He smiled boyishly. 


	3. Chapter 3: Hurricane Ororo

Kurt was so rattled that he missed the ignition the first time he tried to stab the key in. His breath came in short, frightened pants. Obviously, being caught out there had scared him far more than her.  
  
"I hope you know some back road home," he said, looking around wildly.   
  
"Let me drive." Ororo nodded, changing seats with him. They took off at a turbo pace as she headed down an alternate route, which was actually shorter.   
  
They arrived back at the mansion without being followed. It was still relatively early in the evening. Ororo had brushed most of the sand off her and Kurt, but she was in no condition to go to bed without cleaning up. As they walked to their respective rooms, she said to him, "I'm going to take a nice, long, hot bath. You could use one too, so I'm inviting you to join me...I promise I won't bite."   
  
  
  
He blinked in confusion. "You're inviting me into the ladies' bath? What if someone else is there with you?"   
  
Ororo shook her head. "There won't be. Hardly anybody ever uses it at this hour, and besides, I've reserved it. I promise I'll stay on my own side unless you indicate otherwise.   Here, let me show you."    
  
   
  
    She smiled and lead him down the hall to the ladies' quarters.  Behind various closed doors, Kurt could hear the various girls laughing and talking in their rooms.  He hoped they wouldn't be coming out any time soon.  He was still dressed only in his swim trunks.     
  
      
  
    Ororo pointed to a door that had the sign "Woman's Bath" at eye level.  On a hook, at the side, was a wipe-off clipboard with a schedule.  She opened the door, turned on the light, and gestured for Kurt to look in.  As with everything else in this mansion, the room was a masterpiece of beauty, outfitted in blue and gold.  The single whirlpool tub could accommodate two, though it might be a little snug.  Then again, judging from Ororo's previous actions, that was surely what she had in mind.  
  
Kurt poked his head in, but did not set one foot inside.  "I feel strange just doing this," he mumbled.  
  
"You didn't seem to feel very strange when you were tickling me mercilessly on the beach." Ororo said. "But if you feel that uncomfortable, if you don't show up I'll understand. I'll go to my room to take a short nap and then I'll be waiting for you in here then. ((Are you sure you want to reveal this little bit of information? I think it would work better if she just said "give me an hour to get things ready" or something like that. After all, she has to set up the candles and so forth. If Kurt knows she's taking a nap, he'd automatically assume that she overslept when he found Adara in the tub, and that might remove some of that important romantic tension you're creating.)) Goodnight, Kurt. This was the best date I can remember. I couldn't ask for a more perfect gentleman." She patted him on the arm, and walked off down the hall.   
  
He stood and watched her for a moment. That was an invitation. That was an actual, honest-to-God invitation.   
  
You idiot, she's been 'inviting' you all night! he thought to himself. Are you truly so dense as not to notice? Are you a man, or aren't you?  
  
He teleported into the men's shower, up in the left corner, and landed lightly on his toes in an unoccupied stall. Even if he was just going to bathe later, he still needed to wash the salt off of him before he went to his room. It was going to be a long, and, truth be told, nervous wait. 


	4. Chapter 4: Midnight Confession

The steaming water in the jacuzzi-sized round bathtub felt like a lover's caress as Adara sank down into it. The candlelight danced and seperated into a million golden fragments as she swirled the water with lazy satisfaction. It was the first time she'd felt good in months. The harp piece "Heaven on Earth" by Hilary Stagg was playing in the background, compliments of her portable stereo and Adara started daydreaming abstractly. Funny, she and Shayda had never taken a bath together. He'd been romantic in other ways, but had never thought of that. Sighing, she took the Camille Beckman rose scented bath gel and poured it onto the blue netted poof sponge in her hand, luxuriating in the smell. She wondered if there were rose gardens around the mansion and determined to take a long leisurely stroll around the place tomorrow. It was so nice to be a lady for a change. It was times like this that she wished she could just throw her powers away and be a normal human being.   
  
After a slow, deliberating bath, Adara finally rose out of the water to grab a towel. But she sensed a change in the air that stopped her in her tracks, and froze. She suddenly felt not alone anymore...  
  
   
  
Kurt arrived up in the corner of the room, as was his habit.  It was safe up by the ceiling, with no chance of anyone standing on his mark.  However, unlike his habit, he arrived with his eyes closed.  A bit nervous?  Of course.  Even if Ororo had "reserved" this room for this hour, it was still the woman's bath.  Despite her explicit invitation, he did feel a bit like an adolescent boy peeking through a keyhole.   
  
   
  
Stop being so shy about it, Wagner, he chided himself.  You've effectively been invited into Ororo's private room.  You are expected.  Stop acting like a bashful schoolboy.  
  
   
  
He opened his eyes and froze.  The lithe young woman in the bath was most definitely NOT Ororo.  He swallowed hard, trying to get past the cue ball that had somehow lodged itself in his throat.  A hotly embarrased flush rose to his face.  Unbidden and unnoticed, the tip of his tail shook like a rattler's.  This was the second time he had come upon this woman bathing.  
  
   
  
Something's gone wrong!  Adara didn't invite you in!  Get out of there, you idiot!  What are you staying up here for?  Go!  
  
   
  
For some reason, he just couldn't move.  He could barely breathe.  Fingers strong enough to crush golf balls gripped the molding nearby and started to dig in.  Adara turned quickly at the soft sound of wood being crushed, towel held up to her neck.    
  
   
  
She had just finished rubbing lotion on her posterior when she heard the noise above her. The LAST thing she expected to see was a big, blue demon stuck to the ceiling like Superglue, but there he was...Kurt...frozen and staring like a deer caught in headlights. DAMN him! Why was he always showing up at the worst moments? And always when she was NAKED???  
  
Her primal instincts kicked in and she screamed like a banshee before tearing out of the room in a blur. She ran to her room and slammed the door, locking it. Was he going to follow her everywhere? Was no place safe? She fell back onto the bed and screamed into her pillow.   
  
Adara's scream snapped Kurt out of his shock.  She tore out of the room before he could say a word.  He sat up in the corner for a few seconds longer, trying to release his death grip on the walls.  Murmured female voices echoed in the hallways, one he recognized as Rogue.  
  
   
  
"What was she doin' in there?" Rogue asked.  "Storm had the tub tonight."  
  
   
  
"Maybe they traded?" another girl asked in reply.  
  
   
  
"Maybe Storm found her and got ticked off," yet another said.  "Sounds like she got the hell shocked out of her."  
  
   
  
"Oooh, lightning in the tub.  That's gotta hurt."  
  
   
  
"Doesn't the new girl make lightning herself?"  
  
   
  
They were drawing closer.  They couldn't find him in there.  The shame was already more than he could bear.  He teleported out, back to his own room, materializing on his bed.  This was awful.  An absolute nightmare.  He had frightened the woman twice, and in the same way.    
  
   
  
No, he reminded himself.  Not frightened.  Violated.  You may as well have ripped her clothes off yourself as sit there and leer.  How could you have committed such a mortal sin?  
  
   
  
He should have left the second he saw her.  His actions were inexcusable.  Unforgivable.  Adara could have become a teammate, but not anymore.  She would never be able to look him in the eye without the memory of this violation.  Kurt had not only wounded her, he had failed his new family as well.    
  
   
  
Kurt curled up and grabbed his head in his hands.  Panic and shame boiled up.  He couldn't catch his breath.  What could he possibly say to make this right?  What could he possibly do?  He looked over to his desk, at the rosary and the bible.  He had no right to touch either of them with such filthy hands.  Then his gaze dropped down to the bottom left drawer.  He stared at for a few seconds, then slowly moved off the bed.  
  
   
  
There was only one way to do this.  
  
   
  
As the shock subsided and Adara caught her breath (and her wits), guilt took over. She'd just been thinking about herself. Maybe it WAS just an accident that he had been there. And a stalker with evil intentions wouldn't have been so protective of her on the Blackbird. During the short time she had been conscious prior to her blackout, he had been very shy and apologetic. He was as scared of HER as she was of HIM. Then why had he been in the bathroom? Who was he intending to meet in there? Why couldn't he just have knocked? Adara felt even more stupid when logic kicked in and she realized she must have scared over half the students out of their beds. What an impression she was making. The Professor would have her shipped out in the morning, she was sure!   
  
She rolled over on her side and stared out the open window. She should apologize to him, or at least explain herself. Most importantly, she wanted him to know that she knew he was not an enemy now. They couldn't work together if they were both paranoid.   
  
Adara sighed. She had to get a drink of water anyway, so she padded down the hall (in a silky white but still somewhat conservative nightgown with a robe now) and started the search for Kurt's room. Most of the doors were closed and the mansion was HUGE. Where could it be? Maybe she should just get her water and talk to him in the morning. But she was restless, so she went anyway.   
  
As she approached the stairs, she heard someone coming up at a moderate pace.  It was the same scruffy-looking man, though this time without the beer and wearing jeans and t-shirt.  He stopped and looked her up and down with an appreciative frown.  
  
"Nice outfit," he said.  "I guess you're the new girl?"  
  
   
  
"Uh, yeah, you might say that."  Something about this man sent her senses on edge.  "I'm Adara."  
  
   
  
"Logan," he said, extending his hand.  
  
   
  
She shook it.  Blue sparks literally flew between their hands as she let go, and both let out cries of surprise.  
  
   
  
"I'm sorry!" she said, shaking her hand at the wrist.  "I don't know why that happened.  I didn't mean to do that!"  
  
   
  
Logan clenched and unclenched his fist.  Adara watched with horrified fascination as tiny electric burns, pinpricks of black, receded into his skin. Soon they were entirely healed.  
  
   
  
"No, my fault," he said.  "Prof told me about you.  I should've known.  My skeleton's laced with metal.  It must have triggered something."  
  
A  metal skeleton?  No wonder she felt so strange around him.  How the hell did he get that?  Then she remembered Kurt, the main reason she was out here.  
  
"Um, listen, not to be rude or anything, but do you know where Kurt's room is?" she asked in a rush.  "I kind of need to talk with him."  
  
   
  
"Up on the top floor, end of the hall to your left."  Logan smiled.  "He might not be in, though.  Storm was talking about meeting him after dinner."  
  
   
  
Adara grew pale.  "Did she say where she was going to do that?"  
  
   
  
Logan's smile evaporated, replaced by a suspicious frown.  "No.  There some kind of trouble?"  
  
   
  
Adara hit herself on the head.  That must have been it!  That was why the bathroom had candles and everything!  She was going to meet Kurt there!  THAT'S why he just teleported in.  
  
   
  
"Oh, man," she moaned.  
  
   
  
She bolted by Logan and bounded up the staircase.  Logan wrinkled his nose and kept walking down the hallway to his room.  Whatever was going on with her, it smelled more like embarrassment than fear.  If it had something to do the Kurt and Ororo, he sure as hell wasn't getting involved.  
  
Adara's heart was hammering so hard she thought it was going to set off a fireworks display through her head. She stood at Kurt's door and listened for signs of life. She could hear nothing. Finally, she knocked. "Kurt?" she stammered, feeling like a mouse. "Can I talk to you?"I...I didn't mean to barge in." she stammered, looking at him wide-eyed. "I called you, but you didn't answer. Do you want me to go?"   
  
   
  
She heard no reply.  Was he angry?  Hell, was he even there?  She put her ear to the door to listen and could just barely make out Kurt's voice.  She couldn't tell what he was saying, but the even, rhythmic cadence made it sound like a chant. She tried the doorknob and found it open.    
  
   
  
She peeked into the darkened room, lit by a single candle in a red votive cup.  The flickering light revealed Kurt's silhouette, facing away from her and kneeling on the floor.  He must have his arms crossed somehow in front of him.  His tail trailed off into the darkness.  There was a small open box to his right.  Was that Latin?  Whatever it was, it was definitely a chant, and she knew enough to recognize the word "dominus".  Was he religious?  
  
Wouldn't that beat all, Adara thought as she watched.  A guy who looks like the devil, praying.  
  
   
  
Still chanting, Kurt reached over into the box and slowly brought out a scalpel.    
  
Kurt had the scalpel inches from his chest when he heard Adara sneeze.  He blinked, stopping his hand and his chant.  He stayed that way for a second, his arm suspended, and Adara sneezed again.  The last sound started to shake him from his trance.  He twisted at the waist to look behind him, his eyes blank, and caught Adara's frightened gaze.   
  
"I...I didn't mean to barge in." she stammered, looking at him wide-eyed. "I called you, but you didn't answer. Do you want me to go?"   
  
   
  
He stayed that way, knees pointed away, shoulders turned towards her, for several seconds.  For anyone else it would have been a strain,yet he held the torturous, twisted position easily, with the flexibility of a contortionist.  To Adara's relief, he slowly dropped the scalpel to the floor.  Confusion slowly spread on his face, replacing that frightening, blank stare.  Then, as if someone flipped a switch in his mind, recognition blossomed.  He turned away and bowed his head.  
  
"Please forgive me for what I have done," he whispered.  "I never meant to harm you.  I did not realize you were there.  I was expecting someone else, but I should have left when I saw you."  His next words were barely audible.  "I'm so sorry."  
  
The tears that had threatened to spill out of Adara's eyes finally did so when this revalation made her realize she was the cause of his suffering. "I should have never came to this school." she said, struggling to steady her voice. She was glad she was in the shadows where he couldn't see her...at least so she thought. She didn't realize he had night vision. "I've made everybody's life miserable."  
  
*She* made everyone's life miserable?  He was the one who had done this.  Why would she feel responsible?  He looked back over his shoulder again.  She was crying.  She held her voice steady, but Kurt saw the gleam of tears as they ran down her cheek.    
  
   
  
"I was the one to violate your privacy," he said softly.  He turned around completely, a bare-chested silhouette with gleaming yellow eyes.  "You have always been welcome here.  The sin is mine, not yours."  
  
In the candlelight, he looked more like a shadowy gargoyle than ever. To Adara, he was both threatening and alluring, his yellow eyes like beacons that sought her very soul. She could read the story of his life in his scars. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know he'd been through a lot.   
  
       "It's not a sin if it's not intentional.." she said. "And I bet ten thousand to one my sins are worse than yours."  
  
She pinched her nose to squelch another sneeze.  Kurt glanced back at the scented candle.  It must have been triggering her allergic reaction.  He bent over it and blew it out.  Only the window, the curtains drawn to each side, gave light now, and it was dim indeed.  Adara held her breath as she realized that Kurt was gone, without a sound or the whiff of sulfur.  But a second later, the lamp on his end table turned on seemingly by itself.  She almost jumped.  Kurt was standing at the end table, his hand on the switch, even though she KNEW no one had been there seconds ago.  He was utterly invisible in the shadows.  
  
   
  
She could see more of him, now. He was only wearing a pair of jeans, a pair that must have been very new, considering their unfaded, deep indigo.  Adara was used to jeans clinging tightly, outlining every line, every curve of the wearer.  His clung tightly to his slender waist, but was loose everywhere else, flaring out at the bottoms.  It must have been troublesome for him to get his long, oddly-shaped feet through anything more confining.  He turned towards her, his tail swishing back and forth with slow, lazy movements.   
  
"If you wish, I can open the window," he offered.  "I think the candle and you do not agree."   
  
Adara smiled slightly at this wry humor, still keeping her distance from him as she sat with her knees up, hugging them.  "I'm always a sucker for cool night air."  
  
Her glance darted from his face to his well-formed, though exotic body, to the   
  
room and its spartan decor. Her discreet gaze fell again to his jeans and she had to admit that for a demon lookalike, he looked damn good in them. And that tail...it was almost scandalous. Now SHE was the one having sinful thoughts! Then she noticed the scars again and returned to her previous concern. "Why do you cut yourself like that? They look like symbols of some kind."  
  
Kurt opened the window, letting in a cool night breeze.  To Adara's distraction, he then turned and sat on the sill facing her, half in and half out of the window.  He perched on the edge, his toes curling around the wood.  Was he trying to keep his distance for her sake or his?  
  
"One for each sin," he said quietly.  "It is...a personal matter between myself and God."  
  
Adara winced in guilt. She should have known better than to ask him such a question. And she should have known better than to ask her NEXT question, but she blurted it out anyway.   
  
"Who WERE you going to meet in the bathroom, anyway? Or is that none of my business either?"    
  
He sighed.  "It is not important.  What is important is that I did not expect you to be there. I did not intend to frighten you so, though it seems I have done so twice now.  Herr Xavier provides a place of safety.  The last thing I would want is for you to leave.  It isn't safe for you outside, so it seems."  
  
His gaze darted away to several different corners of the room before he forced himself to look at her again. The one person who didn't know what he'd done, someone with an untainted opinion, and here he was about to tell her. He took a steadying breath.  
  
  
  
"I was forced to make an attack on the President of the United States," he said.   
  
  
  
Adara's eyes widened. "You what?"  
  
  
  
He looked away again. The subject was less than comfortable. "Only now do I remember little bits of it. One minute I was in an abandoned church, the next I'm on the President's desk with a knife in my hand and fire in my arm." He touched his left arm, running his finger along a scar that seemed bulky and out of place with the other fine lines that adorned his body. "I'm told I went through the entire secret service to get to him. They had no hope of stopping me."  
  
Adara could feel her anger rising, not at him, but at whoever had done this to him. They sounded like the creeps who had held HER prisoner, and made her do things against HER will.   
  
"Who did this to you?" her eyes glittered in the semi dark. "No WONDER you have issues! There's nothing I hate worse than bullies with power trips who will step on anyone's toes to get what they want. Does the public know by now that it wasn't your choice to do that? That you were being controlled? God, I HAVE been underground too long..." She closed her eyes and rubbed them stressfully.   
  
"President McKenna knows the truth," he replied. "Xavier found the files on the Weapon X program and made them known. We hand-delivered them to his desk." He paused. "I cannot say the President was happy to see me again. He almost jumped out of his chair." He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "But we must have made a good impression somehow, as the warrant for my arrest is no more. As to what the public believes...." He shrugged. "They believe what suits them. It is nothing new. Outside of the circus, I have never been so well thought of."   
  
"That makes two of us." Adara smirked. "People didn't think much of me before I went out of the public eye either." She paused, looking up at him with interest. "You were in the circus? Wow, you HAVE been around!"  
  
He cocked his head, curious. "How could you not be well thought of? I would think any man would be fortunate to stand at your side."   
  
His comment completely caught her off guard. She was so flattered she was speechless, but felt like she didn't deserve it. Especially when he knew nothing of her past. "You don't know me." she shook her head, hoping he didn't see the furious blush that flooded her face. "I was a troublemaker even before the Air Force...and my later confinement. People thought I was a freak even as a teenager. I never fit in anywhere. It wasn't just my pale skin and bright eyes that threw them off.. I was a loner. And to tell you the truth, I liked it that way. I found my peers...immature." Her eyes sparkled with anger from past memories. "My ability to set things on fire and light up the lives of those around me started when I was 13. Most girls just get their periods. I went through a baptism of fire. "   
  
He regarded her with a different air, now.  Gone was the frightened, self-castigating guilt. Gone was the confusion and uncertainty.  It wasn't so much he took control of the situation as he blended in.  He gracefully stepped off of the sill, never once using his arms to steady himself.  His feet seemed to grip and relax more like talons than toes.  His movements were so fluid and so alien....  
  
   
  
I never thought I'd be using that word in a positive light again, Adara thought.  
  
   
  
 He gestured to the chair by his desk.  "You cannot be that comfortable on the floor.  Would you rather sit here?"  
  
She looked him up and down quickly so he wouldn't think she was ogling him. There didn't appear to be any burns. He LOOKED ok. But she couldn't tell. It was just another excuse to check him out. Then again, she always went for the unconventional men. Not that he would EVER know that...at least not for now. Besides, she had her suspicions that he and Storm were getting it on. She blocked out the wave of jealousy and longing that threatened to sweep over her at the thought. Every man she had gotten a crush on had rejected her. She wouldn't allow herself to like him too much...or to fall in love. He would just be another failure. It was a pattern of expectation that had come of too many disappointments. She would feel lucky if he would just be her friend. At least that way, she didn't have to guard her heart. It was a game she was used to playing. Be just nice enough to them to win their friendship, but hold back the rest if they didn't want more. And they never did. Adara had learned to stop trusting men a long time ago, especially the ones that seemed too good to be true.  
  
She now gazed out the window as a soft breeze came through the window. Feeling a little hot, she walked slowly closer to it, but still stood about three feet away from Kurt. The breeze lifted her hair in sections and blew it in slow motion. For a moment she got lost in it, staring at the full moon outside as it lit up her face and shone in her eyes.   
  
Kurt moved aside to grant Adara better access to the window. Interesting. She seemed so tense before, curled up by the door as if afraid. He expected her to stay that way. The fact that she decided to draw near was curious. Did she fear him, or didn't she?  
  
  
  
It could be that she's not even thinking of me right now, he thought. The way she stares out the window, she must be staring somewhere else. She has such bitterness inside, just under the surface, and so much she aims at herself.... Are all American women so angry underneath? Or is it just the outcasts that I see?  
  
  
  
"The moonlight suits you," he told her.  
  
  
  
She blinked and turned to him. "I'm sorry?"  
  
  
  
He reached up and moved a lock of her hair out of her face with one finger. "I said, the moonlight suits you. You are at home in it, even if you do not feel at home here."   
  
  
  
She closed her eyes and bit her lip as Kurt lightly touched her face in the process of moving her hair. He retracted his hand; her face was very warm. She was still on the edge of tears. Kurt could hardly believe it was all stemming from him.  
  
  
  
"I think, Adara, that I am not the one who should be speaking right now," he said, his voice low. "If you need to unburden your heart, at any time, I would be willing to listen. Nothing you tell me would leave my lips."  
  
Adara kept up the tough act. ::Keep it casual, never let him know your true feelings:: she told herself. "It's just my allergies." she congratulated herself on the godawful coverup.. "Makes my eyes water." She hastily wiped her eyes on her arm, then backed up. The breeze was getting stronger through the window. "I'm tired...I'd better go." She looked at him with a slight smile. "I'm glad we finally got to properly introduce ourselves. 'Night, Kurt."   
  
Adara walked out of the room, a million thoughts and feelings chasing through her head. Kurt looked after where she had gone for a long pause until a suddenly-appearing figure in the window suprized him. It was Ororo.   
  
Kurt stepped back as the smiling woman glided up to the sill and hovered. "You should keep your window closed, Kurt." she joked. "There's a weather watch tonight."   
  
He invited her into his room by way of an extended hand. "Ororo, where were you? I went to the bath, but--" He bit off his words and quickly changed gears. "Did I have the wrong time?"   
  
Ororo shook her head, feeling a little guilty and smiling. "No, Kurt. I was tired, so I fell asleep a little longer than I thought." She paused and sniffed the air slightly. "It smells like roses in here."  
  
She picked up on the rose-lotion Adara was wearing. Wonderful. None of his incense, nor his candle, gave off that smell. Well, did he tell her the truth, and risk her hating Adara? Or did he lie through his teeth, and risk Ororo finding out and hating them both? He sighed and ran his fingers through his curly hair as she landed in the room. Honesty always worked best. At least it would be over sooner.  
  
"Ororo, you didn't warn Adara about 'bath reservations', did you?" he asked quietly.  
  
Ororo threw her head back and sighed in exasperation as she replied, "No, I forgot all about it. My fault. Don't worry about it, Kurt." She smiled and walked closer to him. "Remember the 'rain check' on that kiss?" She tilted her head slightly in that mock-innocent way she had and linked her bare arms around his neck.  
  
 Kurt gave her a wide, incredulous grin.  She knew?  Of course, she had to know.  She must have heard Adara scream all the way through the mansion.  Everyone else surely did.   She understood it was an honest mistake on both their parts.  A great weight lifted from his chest as he pulled her closer, shutting the open window with a push of his tail.  Perhaps the night was not a complete loss after all.  
  
  


	5. Chapter 5: Swingin'

Kurt was waiting for Ororo in the foyer when she came down the stairs.  She wasn't sure what to expect from him.  After all, he had never dressed up for such an occasion, and she had no idea how he would be able to blend in.  Even having no idea what to expect, she was taken by surprise.  In fact, she almost didn't recognize him at all.  
  
   
  
For one thing, his face was now a pale, but natural, flesh tone.  He wore partially-tinted glasses, just dark enough at the tops to make his yellow eyes look hazel instead.  His long, black coat hid his tail completely, his accompanying black gloves disguised the distinct look of his tridactyl hands, and a fedora covered the points of his ears.  He even wore shoes, which must have pinched his feet terribly.  Ororo stopped on the stairway as she took in the sight.  
  
   
  
He grinned and bowed deeply.  "I fear I have no hope of outshining you tonight.  My only hope is that I do not detract from your beauty."   
  
   
  
"There's not much chance of that." Ororo smiled, at once embarassed and flattered at his praise. She had picked out a tight, floor length white dress with a slit up to the thigh and silver embroidery that followed diagonally from the curve of her ample hip to the hem under her opposite arm. The bottom of the dress was loose and flowing from the calves down, and longer in the back than in the front. Ororo wore diamond earrings to match the embroidery and silver shoes with low heels so she wouldn't tower over Kurt. She had her beautiful white hair in an updo with glitter for accent. To Kurt, she looked like a jewel. His mouth hung open as she took his arm.   
  
"You look like a million dollars." she said to him as they walked to the garage where the Rolls was kept. "Couldn't have done the makeup better myself."   
  
He held the passenger side door open and helped her into the car."You learn some interesting things in the circus.  It takes quite a lot of practice to make it look 'normal', though.  Do you have any idea how difficult it is to cover up blue skin without looking like a drowned man?"   
  
He closed her door gently and hopped over the cab, clearing it as casually as one might step over a crack in the sidewalk. Ororo had to admit it was faster than walking around to the driver side door, but it was also much flashier, and she had to wonder if the two were of equal importance to him.  
  
Ororo made an amused face Kurt couldn't see, then asked him when he got into the driver's seat, "So are we going to teleport up to the restaurant once we get there, or are we going to do it the old fashioned way and take the elevator?" She felt a little nervous, wondering if Kurt knew how to drive. She put on her seat belt and programmed the radio to a jazz station.  
  
Kurt allayed her fears as he pulled out smoothly into the driveway, then onto the street proper.  
  
"Nein, I've learned the hard way about that," he said. "Makeup just comes off after a few 'ports. I never understood why. And I thought you didn't like riding along with me on such trips. It would hardly do to make you ill before dinner, would it?"  
  
Ororo smiled and put her hand on Kurt's knee, patting it in an unconscious gesture of comradre. "The elevator it is, then. I think you're going to like where we're going."   
  
She resumed staring out the window, but Ororo's mind wasn't on the scenery. She was as nervous and exited as a schoolgirl, though her calm and sophisticated exterior didn't show it. She remembered when they had first met, and he had held her face in his hands, telling her not to be so angry. She had shuddered and melted, though she tried desperately not to show it. She was sure Kurt could see it in her eyes, though, that instant attraction. She had never met anyone like him. Still, she was going to play it cool and see what this guy's game really was. He seemed so tough, yet so innocent. It was hard to read him. It made him all that more intriguing. Ororo usually had trouble trusting people, but something about Kurt put her at ease. And tonight, for a while at least, she was going to forget she was the ice queen.   
  
They wound through the countryside, then into New York city itself, where the traffic picked up. It gave Kurt a great deal of time to ponder the situation. Usually it was the man who surprised his lady with an outing. In this case, Ororo had something specific in mind while Kurt was kept in the dark. Ah, well. They were an unconventional couple; why should the evening break tradition. From a practical standpoint, he didn't know New York at all. He would not have known where to begin.   
  
They finally pulled into the parking structure and came to a gentle halt. Kurt walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for Ororo, then presented his hand. She took it, and they walked together arm in arm.  
  
"So tell me," he asked. "Have you been to this place before?"  
  
"No, but I've heard a lot about it. It's ritzy little club the jetsetters like to hang out in. It's got a huge dance floor." She smiled at him hintingly..   
  
They stepped into the lobby and got into the elevator to the 65th floor. Ororo was suprized that they were alone. She repressed a snicker as a naughty thought ran through her mind about how some couples took amourous advantage of the long ride up. ::Oh Goddess...:: she thought to herself. ::He's getting to you already. Who's the REAL creature of the night here?::  
  
They cast nervous but friendly glances at each other instead as the car soared upward at a swift pace. Ororo leaned against the railing and Kurt stuck slightly to the wall as he gripped the railing a little too tight, his tail thumping nervously. Ororo wanted to laugh, but didn't.   
  
"Is something wrong?" she asked with a concerned face.   
  
"Nein. Just that riding in elevators makes me a little...claustrophobic." he offered her a weak smile. To his suprize, Ororo put her hands on his shoulders and gave them a gentle massage. He closed his eyes in bliss at this new and welcome distraction, and she continued her minstrations. His tail flopped to the floor and the tip of it swished slowly.   
  
"Is that better?" she said low in his ear, pulling his hat down a little more over his pointed ears.   
  
"Thank you, Ororo. You have a healing touch." There was a slight vibration coming from his throat.   
  
She paused momentarily. Did she just hear this man purr?   
  
The bell sounded and door suddenly opened.   
  
"We're here." she said, letting go of him as they stepped out.   
  
Both of their faces lit up when they saw how beautiful and atmospheric the club was. It felt like they had stepped into an art-deco club of the early 1930s. The lighting was low and tinged with soft shades of amber, the tables arranged on different levels, all overlooking a subtly-lighted ballroom dance floor. There was even a spot for a live orchestra, though it wasn't occupied at the moment.   
  
Kurt surreptitiously curled his tail back up under his coat as they were approached by the concierge. This low lighting would hide a multitude of sins, but some things were just too obvious to ignore. The concierge looked to them both, politely, fixing on Ororo as she mentioned their reservation. Kurt knew his scars were plainly visible at this distance, even with his hat and the low light, but the staff was too much a professional to pay them any mind. Their attendant led them cheerfully to their table without so much as a furtive glance.  
  
After orders were taken, and the waiter had departed, Kurt reached across the table and took one of Ororo's hands in his.   
  
"You seemed to put special emphasis on the dance floor," he said. "Can I assume dancing is something you are interested in?"  
  
Ororo's eyes lit up at the touch, and she said somewhat mischieviously, "I would love to dance with you, Kurt. I'm sure all those acrobatics in the circus will come in handy." She squeezed his hand gently and took a sip of her wine with the other, her eyes never leaving his.   
  
"I have seen how it is done in old movies," he replied, smiling, but careful not to show his needle-sharp teeth. "There is only so much room for acrobatics, and many of my best moves use my tail. That is hardly appropriate here."  
  
Ororo almost spit her wine out at this last statement, and let loose her first laugh of the night. Still chuckling, she dabbed her dribbling chin. Her foot shot up in the process and accidentally tapped him in the groin. She regained her dignified composure and added, "Why Kurt, I believe you just booked a flight to Soddom and Ghamorra. What's a good Catholic boy like you doing tempting me with dirty tail dancing?"   
  
"You horrid woman!" he whispered, unable to keep the laughter from his voice. "You spoke of circus acrobatics, and in the circus I used my tail for trapeze work! What did you think I meant?"  
  
Ororo blushed, feeling guilty and giddy at the same time. She put her hand over Kurt's and apologized. "I'm sorry. Maybe I should lay off this wine."  
  
The waiter brought their food. Kurt thanked him, and they started eating.   
  
After her swallowing her first bite, Ororo looked up at him. "How's your tai....I mean, your steak?"  
  
She half expected Kurt to choke on his meal for that comment, but he didn't. He stopped for a moment, then finished his bite. The look he gave her was not embarrassed. Instead, it was almost...sly? He folded his hands in front of him on the table and leaned forward, just a little.  
  
"Liebling," he said softly, "I think I should warn you. I have heard every 'reference' to my tail that you could possibly imagine. You will have to be very creative to surprise me, let alone shock me."  
  
Now it was her turn to be surprised as she felt something warm brush her bare ankle, then her instep. Apparently, with his long coat and the floor-length tablecloth, he felt secure enough to let his tail under the table.   
  
Ororo did a sharp intake of breath and her eyes grew wide momentarily at the shock of this new, almost kinky sensation. The soles of her feet also seemed to be directly wired to a more intimate part of her, and she had to close her eyes and swallow at the tickling sensation that ran through her. It was all she could do to yell "Check please!" but she didn't. She NEVER let men see her acting like this, like a giggly, horny schoolgirl. What was it ABOUT this guy? Then again, she hadn't been out on a date since she couldn't remember when, and Kurt was...different...in more ways than one. He was the most perfect blend of roughish gentleman she had ever met. Without trying, he drew out her vulnerable side, and for some reason, Ororo didn't mind.   
  
Thankful for the low lighting, Ororo swished her wine playfully and returned the caress under the table with a nudge from her now un-sandaled toes. She slid them slowly over the tip and first few inches of the shaft of his tail.   
  
That sly look was gone, replaced by a bit of stunned surprise. Ororo was certain no one had ever touched him in this manner. She could see his jaw clench as she felt the tail rapidly slide out from under her toes, and she heard and felt "something" bump against the central table leg. So he had a weak spot, did he? She calmly reached out with her foot again, and was close enough to feel the warmth of his skin when suddenly that warmth was gone. He'd moved it, probably back under his coat. Oh, well. The game was fun while it lasted.  
  
He was casually eating his vegetables at that point. "If you want to keep that up, you'll have to work harder."  
  
Why that little--! He was playing with her! He still had his tail under the table, and was daring her to find it!   
  
And find it she did. She went right to the source as she scooted her chair close to him and felt his backside under his coat.   
  
"You can't hide THIS end from me." she teased, squeezing the base of his tail playfully two times.   
  
Well, THAT had an effect. She grinned as he almost jumped out of his seat. Apparently, that tail was pretty sensitive near the spine. Unbeknownst to Ororo, his tail whipped around the table's pedestal, wrapped it tightly, and jerked spasmodically. Sometimes that damn thing just had a mind of its own. To keep the table from tipping over, he dropped his silverware and gripped the edge with both hands. Thank God she couldn't see him blush under all the makeup. She slid her hand away, but still stayed very close to him, and his tail resolutely refused to unclench with her so near.  
  
His voice trembled just a little. "Woman, you are an awful cheater."   
  
The orchastra starting up distracted them from any further prehensile tail pursuits.   
  
Thank you, God, Kurt thought.   
  
Kurt wasted no time. He forced his tail to unwrap, then slid it back up under his long coat.   
  
"May I have this dance?" he held out his hand.   
  
Ororo took it, and they approached the dance floor. They were not the first ones out, as several couples whose tables were next to the floor were already there. The big band opened up with "Begin the Begine", a relatively slow number, designed for getting acquainted instead of making a splash. Kurt gave another silent thanks. Not only did this allow him to remember all those Grace Kelly movies, but it allowed him to gauge the skill of the other dancers. As much as he desired to impress Ororo, the last thing he wanted to do was attract undue attention.  
  
No showing off, he repeated to himself. No showing off. The last thing you need to do is have people staring too much. Just keep it at a reasonable level...   
  
Of course, at the same time, he was hoping that some couples here knew what they were doing. The second-to-last thing he wanted was to be constrained by mediocrity. The floor grew more and more crowded. Slow numbers drew the old as well as the young. Then, with very little warning, the band launched into something much faster. The floor swiftly cleared of the older or less-experienced dancers, who clustered along the edges to watch. With all the twirling and flinging going on, the dancers needed room. Kurt felt himself grinning. The Rainbow Room must have been a regular haunt for dancers; the couples who remained on the dance floor were competition quality. He had no fears of standing out from this crowd.  
  
"Let me know when you tire, liebling," he whispered into Ororo's ear.  
  
That was all the warning he gave.  
  
Ororo was thankful for her athletic training at that moment, because she had to immediately compensate for the sudden jerking of her arm. She almost stepped on Kurt's foot as she was spun around. But she kept up with him and the dancing got more intense.   
  
The heat from his body enhanced his natural musky smell and permeated her nostrils. It made her more aggressive. She matched each of his moves with instinctive grace and speed.   
  
Kurt half expected Ororo to call for a halt after a few dances, but she never did. She kept going, practically daring him to keep up with her. It wasn't until the band broke for intermission that they actually stopped. Kurt glanced about the dance floor as they moved back to their table. Some watched them specifically with a bit of impressed appreciation in their eyes. Belatedly, he realized that he and Ororo were among the very few couples that never sat a dance out, and they weren't regulars. And he was still wearing that coat. He'd managed to stick out again.  
  
"Wanna get outta here?" Ororo asked him. "I could use some fresh air. The beach isn't far." She was hot and now the exertion of energy was starting to sink in. And it wasn't just that. She just wanted to be alone with Kurt.   
  
Oh, good. He wouldn't have to embarrass himself by asking first. God must have been smiling on him this night. Not that he was winded, but the attention made him uncomfortable. It was one thing to be in the spotlight behind a mask, another to be an unwilling center of attention.   
  
That, and his shoes were pinching something fierce.  
  
"As you wish," he responded softly.   
  
After the waiter was paid, they made a discreet exit out the door and down the elevator to the waiting car. On the way down, Ororo stood close to Kurt with her arm around him this time, and even ventured running her hands through his hair under his hat. His tail practically put a hole through the wall at this unexpected gesture, and he felt his adreniline shoot up faster than a thermometer on a hot summer day. He grabbed his tail roughly. Stop that! You're embarrassing me!   
  
Slow, deep breaths, Kurt, he thought to himself. You've got to stop overreacting like this. She'll think you have no control over your own drives.   
  
He almost didn't retract his tail in time as the doors opened again. They edged their way past a dinner party of six that wanted on, then made their way to the car.   
  
"I fear I will need directions to the beach," he told her as he turned the key in the ignition.   
  
Ororo gave him the directions, and Kurt drove off. "That was wonderful, Kurt." she said, smiling over at him. "We should do that again sometime." She paused, thinking. "It's a warm summer night...are you up for a swim?"   
  
"Ah...well...I don't have any swim trunks...." He trailed off as Ororo reached into the back seat and produced a small bag. "You planned this, didn't you?"  
  
She merely grinned in reply, pulling out a navy blue set of swim trunks. "I even made sure there was a hole for your tail."  
  
"So that's why you grabbed it! You wanted to make sure you had the size right, yes?"  
  
"Among other things."  
  
"Are all American women as.....forward as you?"   
  
"I'm actually on the mild side compared to some." she said innocently. "Besides, it's good to get out of my role of saving the world for a change."  
  
It was a short drive and they talked little on the way. Part of it was nerves. Part of it was Kurt's feet were starting to kill him. In about half an hour they arrived at the dark, deserted beach. After Kurt parked the car, Ororo slipped off her shoes and let her hair go free before opening the car door.  
  
"There are no changing rooms here," Kurt noted, looking around.  
  
Ororo grinned as she grabbed her swimsuit from the bag. "Then I will have to rely on your decency not to peek, won't I?"  
  
Kurt just stared, slack jawed, as Ororo turned her back to the car and began to strip. She was actually going to change here, in the open? He quickly turned away, looking for a wall or something for his own use.  
  
Ororo heard the muffled bamf of air inside the car and glanced back. Kurt was gone, but all of his clothes, including glasses and hat, settled empty to the driver seat. He could teleport out of his clothing? That had possibilities.... In a second he returned, and she could see him leaning against the driver's side, his back to her.  
  
"Any time you're ready, liebling," he called over his shoulder. "You women always take so long to get ready...."  
  
Kurt walked into the water, savoring the cool, form-fitting feel of the wet sand under the soles of his feet. Without realizing it, he was digging his toes into the packed sand as he went, leaving odd little trenches in the beach for the tide to wash away. The water was a bit of a shock to him, colder than he'd expected. It could have just been the fact the night was so warm, but he felt goosebumps raise on his skin from the chill. Why did Ororo think it was so warm?  
  
Of course, this is a woman who summons up snowstorms, he thought. Cold water must be nothing to her.  
  
Better to get it all over with at once. He dove in after her, closing his eyes against the salty brine. He came up a second later, then swam to her side.  
  
"You ok?" Ororo asked as he surfaced. "Are you cold?" He looked even sexier with his hair flattened and wet, the ambient light glancing off his shoulders and face in an unearthly way. Goddess, he was beautiful! It was all she could do to keep from throwing every limb around him she had.   
  
"It's just the shock of hot night to cool sea," he answered. "I'll get used to it."  
  
  
  
She still seemed a bit concerned. He wasn't about to let her remain that way. He curled his tail around her leg and tugged gently. She gave a startled squawk.  
  
  
  
"Watch out for eels," he said, grinning, as he tugged again.   
  
Ororo giggled nervously as she had to dig her toes into the sand to keep from falling over. "Have you been baptized, Kurt?" she asked innocently, putting her hands on his shoulders.   
  
"Oh, no you don't!" he laughed, waving a finger in her face. "I'm not falling for tha--"  
  
  
  
He expected her to kick his legs out from under him, push him back, or any other such thing. He probably SHOULD have expected what she actually did. She grabbed his shoulders, yanked him close, and kissed. Kurt found himself quite off-balance, which made it easy for her to shove him back under the water. Suddenly he disappeared from under her grasp, the water moving in to fill the void. He reappeared bare inches behind her.  
  
"Again you cheat!" he shouted in mock indignation. "This time I show no mercy!"   
  
He lifted her up out of the water, pinning both arms to her sides. She kicked at him, laughing, and was met by his tail. It had been so long since anyone played "rough and tumble" with her that she'd forgotten she was ticklish, but Kurt and that tail of his reminded her soon enough.  
  
If this were a movie, Ororo couldn't decide if it was "From Here to Eternity" or "Alien Nation." Where before in the club she'd felt like a pampered lady, now she felt like a naughty schoolgirl playing hooky with the kid from the bad side of town. She could hardly breathe between spitting sand from her mouth and laughing hysterically. And Kurt had her right where he wanted her, like he'd had this planned all along!   
  
"K-K-Kurrrt...BWAAHAHAHAHAHA!...KURT! STOP!"  
  
Kurt pulled her to him and held her close until she recovered strength enough to stand. His tail slapped the surface of the water close by. She turned to look at it, a little concerned that he might start it all over again. He also looked back at it, grinning widely.  
  
"I'm sorry, liebling, but you were the one who grabbed it back there," he said, laughing. "I think it wants to get back at you."   
  
"Now, I don't think that will be necessary." Ororo said, squeezing his shoulders with one hand while reaching down to the base of his tail with the other. "I was thinking more along the lines of...compensation."  
  
She stroked the first few inches of it gently at the same time she started nibbling on his pointed ears.   
  
"Uh...Ororo...you shouldn't...." A sharp intake of breath through his teeth. "That's....You're...uh...."  
  
Ororo pulled back, but still kept her arms around him. Her own breath was heavier with her mounting passion. "Too soon?" she asked, her voice betraying disappointment.   
  
He looked down and away, and she had her answer.  This *was* too fast for him.  He wasn't comfortable with it, not yet.  He opened his mouth to speak, and she just knew he was going to apologize.   She placed her fingers over his lips, and he silenced.    
  
   
  
This one, she thought to herself, was going to take a bit of training.     
  
 Unnoticed by the two, there was another man making his way from parking lot to beach.  There was nothing sinister about him, or his intentions, even if he did have a camera in his hands.  With the light of a full moon, and sensitive film, it was a perfect night to work on his favorite hobby. He stopped as he saw a tall, beautiful woman waist deep in the ocean.  She had one hand up in front of her face, and seemed to be staring off into the distance.  Such fluid grace.  Was she a dancer, or a mime, or an actress?  She reached up with another hand and seemed to stroke something in mid-air.  Definitely, some kind of performer, probably working on a routine.  Just beautiful.  A lovely image.  He raised his camera and sighted in, careful not to startle her.    
  
   
  
Unfortunately, as he was new to his hobby, he'd forgotten to shut the flash off.  When he squeezed the trigger, the night suddenly lit up with a burst of light, and he suddenly saw that the woman was with someone else.  Someone who wasn't there before.  Someone with a tail that stuck up and out of the water for several feet.  The would-be photographer's jaw dropped in shock, and he kept his hand on the trigger, the camera continuing to shoot, the flash continuing to go off over and over and over.  
  
   
  
Kurt and Ororo gasped and snapped to look at the beach, at the blinding strobe of light.  Someone was taking pictures.  Someone was taking a whole ROLL of pictures.  Kurt made a frightened sound in his throat as he grabbed Ororo tightly.  There was a wrenching darkness, and then they were standing right next to the car.  


	6. Chapter 6: David and Shayda

Commander Bethel leaned his lanky frame into his ergonomic chair and studied the report he'd just received with a frown. The younger subordinate unconsciously backed up slightly in a habituary gesture of caution. His boss always got that look when he was about to lose his temper. Cdr. Bethel spoke in a deceptively calm, low voice.   
  
"So," he said as he took his shiny-shoed feet off the desk and leaned forward predatorily. "Where is she? I thought you guys had it covered."  
  
       "We had a lock on her, Sir. But we lost it."  
  
His superior's voice rose suddenly as he yelled at him. "GET OUT OF MY OFFICE!" The younger guy wasted no time. Cdr. Bethel muttered curses about imcompetent underlings as he tore the report into shreds. The confetti fell all over a cheap, badly made Roswell crash sculpture on his desk. Bethel pounded the wall and would have put a hole through it if it hadn't been made of inpenetrable steel. Where the hell could that bitch BE? She was essential to their operation. Besides, they had a deal with their Friends Upstairs. He fumed even more as he wondered if the aliens had turned against them. Maybe they had even helped her escape. His only desire was to find Adara and the aliens and kick BOTH their sorry asses.   
  
He calls up David (I think that's the name you gave him?  Shayda's liaison on Earth?),   
  
whom he doesn't trust any further than he can throw.  Starts reading him the riot act about "you said this stuff would find her wherever she went!  Why can't it find her now?".  On phone, Davis is calm, cool, and collected, and says they're aware of the problem, that his "employer" is trying to fix it, and that he shouldn't worry; since they're both after the same thing, its in David's best interest to find Adara, as well.  A.H. hangs up and decides to go out and take his aggressions on some helpless targets on the range.  
  
With a growl, Bethel swiped the cell phone out of his pocket and called David. He always dreaded these confrontations, because David was the aliens' human liason. The aliens' planetary leader's liason to be exact, and he made sure everyone knew it in that cool but pompous way of his. Bethel didn't trust him as far as he could throw him.  David was smart, David was secretive, David was necessary.   
  
David was a dick.   
  
Bethel's hate for him was magnified knowing David's office was on the same base.   
  
Bethel could almost see the thick cigarrette smoke curling like serpentine tendrils through the receiver. Camels were David's favorite. Just another thing that made Bethel hate his alien-loving guts.   
  
The phone rang four times before a smooth male voice answered calmly, "Yes, Commander Bethel?"        The mere calm of David's voice made Bethel struggle for control.   
  
       "We lost her. My men just went on a wild goose chase looking for our most valuable asset with an apparently INFALLIBLE tracking device! You assured me it would never malfunction. We had a deal!"  
  
The voice on the other end never wavered.   
  
"Just calm down, Mr. Bethel." David nearly purred, the slightest trace of sarcasm in his voice. "My...employer and I are aware of the situation and are pursuing it at this moment. We wouldn't let OUR most valuable asset slip through our fingers, now would we? I'll keep you informed."   
  
Before Bethel could answer, the phone went dead at the other end.  
  
                                                       *     *     *  
  
A now nervous David took an extra long drag on his cigarette and made his own call. Only he didn't use a cell phone. He pushed a button concealed under his desk, and a featureless, bald slender white ghostly form appeared in the room across from him.   
  
       "You summoned me?"  
  
"Yes, Xadar." David bowed his head. His voice now showed more nervousness than it had with the Commander. "The situation is getting out of control. We've lost the female implant. Commander Bethel is threatening my life. We need your help."  
  
Slight ripples of light and shadow seemed to flow across the alien energy form, and he tilted his head as he answered. "I expected this." he said enigmatically. "I know where she is. She is in Xavier's Institute for Mutants, which will put us in a better position to carry out our plans without the interference of the militant powers. Everything is going according to plan. We have merely...corralled her into our corner."  
  
       "But how do I keep stringing along the Black Ops and making them buy this 'atmospheric interference' story?" protested David. "How do I convince them that capturing Adara is in both our best interests? I'm afriad they're catching on to the fact that we're using them as much as they're using HER."  
  
       "Leave that to me." was all the Xadar said. His projection disappeared before David could say another word. 


	7. Chapter 7: Angel and Devil

Adara had finally gotten settled into her room and arranged things according to her liking. She was pleased to find sombody had left behind a portable stereo, complete with CD player. She opened her window to let the late afternoon air in, and was greeted by the pleasant smell of various flowers from the garden. She would take a bath later; for now, she would rest and listen to some music on the radio.   
  
It was a non-traditional station of Celtic and New Age tunes, and a familiar song called "Isle of Skye" came on. She sang to it as she organized her belongings.   
  
When the ferry crosses over  
  
From the mainland  
  
Across the sea  
  
To the Isle of Skye  
  
  
  
That's when my heart  
  
Starts to beating  
  
And my spirit  
  
Begins to rise  
  
Like a bird taking flight  
  
Give me wild wind  
  
Give me rain  
  
All I ask, nothing more  
  
Than to stand on your shore  
  
  
  
Greenest blue of the ocean  
  
And its magic haunts me still  
  
There is nothing in the world  
  
That can take its place for me...  
  
  
  
Ordinarily, Kurt had no call to be in the ladies' wing of the school. This, however, was not an ordinary time. Ororo had specifically requested he come up to see her, after he had seen Hank.  
  
  
  
::At least the good doctor gave me a clean bill of health today,:: he thought. ::Last night, I never thought that nosebleed was going to stop. Or the headache, or any other pain, for that matter. It's incredible what a day of rest can do.::  
  
  
  
He slowed down as he drew near Ororo's room. A voice, quiet and beautiful, drifted through the hall. Was that singing? He stopped outside a closed door. The singer was in there.  
  
  
  
Greenest blue of the ocean  
  
And its magic haunts me still  
  
  
  
Who *was* that? He had become familiar with the voices of everyone at the school by now, or so he thought. He could not remember anyone singing with such haunting beauty. He paused there, listening, not yet willing to leave.  
  
  
  
There is nothing in the world  
  
That can take its place for me...  
  
  
  
He didn't recognize the music, either, but that was hardly unusual. Who *was* she? He raised his fist to knock on the door, then thought better of it. He was on his way to a rendezvous, and Ororo should not be kept waiting.   
  
After Adara finished singing that song, she sang "Wild Child" by Enya before just letting the music go on its own. She collapsed on the bed with a happy sigh and promptly fell asleep, blissfully unaware that she'd been overheard.   
  
Kurt knocked on Ororo's door.  
  
   
  
"Yes?" she called from within.  
  
   
  
"You said you wanted to know what Doktor Hank said," Kurt called back.  
  
   
  
After a moment, she opened the door.  "And what did he say?"  
  
   
  
Kurt smiled.  "He said I was fine, so I imagine whatever you were planning for tonight is still on?"  
  
"I'll be there with bells on." Ororo said with a teasing smile.   
  
:: "With bells on"?:: Kurt thought. ::That must be an idiom. I can't imagine her actually wearing anything so noisy.:: Aloud, he asked, "I shall meet you in the foyer at five, then?"  
  
Ororo inwardly smiled at Kurt's not getting the joke. "Yes, and don't forget your hat."   
  
He made a motion to pull down an imaginary brim. "So it shall be." As he turned to leave, he glanced at one of the doors down the hall. "Ororo, a question. Who is it that uses that room?"  
  
He pointed to the door to Adara's now silent room.   
  
"I think you've met the new girl already." Ororo said with slight amusement in her voice. "Sounds like she's starting to recover already. Too bad we can't take her along to serenade us at the club. We could all split the tips with her talent."  
  
"New girl? Wait, you told me her name. Adara, yes? Do you think she was a professional singer before all this happened?"   
  
Ororo nodded. "I talked to her earlier and she told me she wanted to be a professional singer, but just never got her big break. Of course, it would be hard to get opportunities when one is locked up in a secure facility."  
  
Kurt nodded. Then he turned back to Ororo with his winning smile. Took her hand in his and gently kissed it, bowing.  
  
  
  
"I will see you in an hour then."   
  
Ororo looked down and then up quickly in that charming way of hers when she felt flattered, smiling as she said, "I'll be ready."   
  
Then she drew back and closed the door. 


	8. Chapter 8: Battle of the Sexes

The living room was dark and quiet, only the ambient light from one of the windows filtering through in irregular patches across the furniture. Adara walked in and plopped down on the couch, half asleep. She'd been hearing whispered voices in the extreme quiet of the night lately, and needed to drown out the telepathic feedback with the TV. She'd watch until she got so tired she couldn't hear the other noises anymore. She'd taken to crashing on the couch instead of going to her room. So far she'd woken up early enough before any of the other residents found her.   
  
She flipped to the Comedy Central channel and watched Mystery Science Theatre 3000, trying not to laugh too hard at the wisecracking robots as they dissed the B-movie of the week. This week it was "This Island Earth", and the three familiar silouhettes had just settled down at the beginning of the movie.. A field of badly done, very fake looking "stars" that looked more like paper mache balls on strings floated toward the camera screen.   
  
"Hey, somebody sneezed on the credits!" chimed Crow, and Adara lost it, throwing her head back and laughing loud.   
  
  
  
"Aw, Jeez, not those stupid robots again," someone grumbled behind her.  
  
  
  
Adara looked up over the couch to see Logan. He was watching the screen with thinly-veiled disgust.  
  
  
  
"I never figured out what the kids saw in this show," he went on, shaking his head. "Don't tell me you like it, too?"  
  
Adara caught herself and faked a yawn. "Naw, just bored. Change it to whatever you want."   
  
Logan picked up the remote and started flipping though channels. He'd rest on one for a few moments, then flip to another. Then another. Did this guy have ADD or what?   
  
"Nothin' but crap on tonight," he muttered.  
  
"Hey, stop, that was Jerry Springer!" Adara protested, pointing at the TV. She couldn't believe this place was so high tech but still had one communal set. She had to admit, she did the same thing on the radio till she found a song she liked. But dammit, she'd been there first! Without thinking, she reached over to the hand that held the remote, pressed her thumb into Logan's palm and made him drop it. She caught it before he could grab it back. "HAH! Who's the woman? Who's the woman?"   
  
"You lousy skirt!"  
  
  
  
With one quick movement, he grabbed and twisted the remote out of her hands. Then he quickly sprang off of the couch, holding the remote behind him.  
  
  
  
"Don't go touchin' a man's remote unless you intend to go a lot further, babe," he warned with a smile.  
  
"Who you callin' a SKIRT?" Adara challenged fighting back a smile. "I don't need the remote when I go to manual override." She turned the knob on the TV by hand and stuck out her tongue defiantly. A re-run of Touched by and Angel was on, which she knew would infuriate him no end. "That's more like it." she nodded her head and plunked down on the couch.   
  
Before she could settle in the station flipped three times. "Hey! I turned it at the base! What gives?"  
  
" You changin' it from there don't stop me from changin' it here," Logan replied. "Here we go; WWE Smackdown. Always good for a laugh."  
  
"I'll give you a smackdown!" Adara jumped up and tried to wrestle the remote away from Logan. By now, she was laughing so hard she was hyperventilating.   
  
The channel switched several times during the contest as each of them accidentally or on purpose thumbed the remote. From infomercial to Evening Business Report to some home decorating show with a chirpy hostess back to MST3K. Suddenly a blue streak lashed down from above and grabbed the remote. Adara got a whiff of sulfur as the blue strip, and the remote, disappeared, and belatedly realized that Kurt must have intervened with his tail.  
  
Adara was still laughing as she looked up at Kurt. "My hero!" she gasped between breaths.   
  
Adara put her hands on her hips and looked up at him. "What do you expect? He's male!"  
  
He pointed down at her. "Now, you just wait a minute! I'm male, too! I'll show you!"  
  
With that he flipped through the channels so fast that the screen became a crazy jumble of lines and noise. He had the tip of his tail firmly pressed on the "next channel" button, and apparently had no intention of letting go.  
  
Looking determined, Adara said, "That settles it!" and went up to the TV. She turned it off, yanked the plug, and physically picked it up. "Now, unless you both want to accompany me and start an embarassing rumor, I'm going to watch this in peace in my own room."   
  
Logan gave a grin that was more like a leer. He leaned against the entertainment center, temporarily blocking her way. "Wrong thing to say, darlin'. I like embarrassing rumors."   
  
  
  
Kurt sighed loudly. "Well, if the TV is going, I suppose it's no use to play with the remote. I'll just put it away."  
  
  
  
He teleported out of the room completely.   
  
Adara rolled her eyes and set the TV back down on its original stand. "Ok, ok, you BOTH win! I'm going to bed." She smirked and walked out of the room, but not before throwing back a "besides, you guys were more entertaining anyway. You can't beat the Kurt and Logan channel."   
  
She went back up to her room.  As she got closer, she saw something was dangling from her doorknob.  It was the remote, tied in place with a bright red ribbon and bow.   
  
Adara did a double take and screeched with laughter, then quickly stifled it.. ::Oh Kurt, this is a classic:: she thought, snatching it up and carrying it into her room. Then she got an idea. She would hide it where Logan would NEVER find it again. She found a loose floor board under the bed and stuck it under there. The battle of the sexes had been won...temporarily. 


	9. Chapter 9: Pickles and Peabrains

A light breeze awoke Adara from the dream she'd been having. A thin shaft of sunlight stabbed through a slit in the curtains and hit her eyes like a laser beam. She rolled over on her side to get out of its path, then spent the next few minutes waking up...and thinking about that dream.   
  
She'd been in the ruins of an old castle, staring around at the rubble, when Kurt had suddenly appeared perched on one of the high walls. He had called down to her, saying, "Is this the ruins of your life?" Before she could answer, she woke up.   
  
It had been a disturbing dream, to say the least.   
  
Adara got into a pair of jeans and a tank top, pulled her hair back in a ponytail so it didn't look so rumpled, then walked down to the kitchen, hoping nobody would see her in this morning state. She hated anybody seeing her before she'd fixed herself up, brushed her teeth and brushed her hair. It was about 11 in the morning, she noticed. Had she slept THAT late??? The night before came rushing back to her and she suddenly felt embarassed about being in Kurt's room. Like it was a sanctuary that shouldn't be disturbed. Her fear of him was gone, but her mistrust was still there. He had a lot of secrets. Still, this just made her more curious about him. He had invited her to talk to him about her problems, but she had denied having any. The last she wanted him to see her as was weak.   
  
At present, no one was in the kitchen. Good. Adara hated anybody watching her eat. Or doing anything personal, for that matter. Especially strangers. She rooted through the cupboards and drawers until she found the proper wares, then made some pancakes, bacon and eggs. No diet for THIS girl! She could afford it. Besides, at only 117 lbs, she could gain a few. With a satisfied sigh, Adara turned off the stove and sat down at the table to eat. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until now. It was all she could do not to plow through the stack of pancakes like a bulldozer. Thank God no one was watching her.   
  
  
  
She caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Quickly, she swallowed her bite and spun around. It was Kurt, standing in the kitchen doorway. She didn't hear him approach, and the reason why was fairly obvious. He was wearing that same black, armored bodysuit as when they first met in Idaho(not Colorado!), and that suit didn't have any shoes. The leggings ended halfway down his calves, leaving those weird, tridactyl feet bare. Judging by the slightly damp nature of his short hair, and the fact that said bodysuit was unzipped halfway down his chest, it looked like he'd been working out.  
  
  
  
He bowed, his tail flicking up behind him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude on your meal. I'll come back later, if you wish."  
  
Adara swigged half her orange juice, watching him out of the corner of her eye, then gave him what she thought was a small smile. It came out more as a smirk. "Hey, it's a communal kitchen. And you're not intruding. You might wanna keep your distance, anyway. My table manners and morning breath would scare anybody."  
  
She looked at him briefly. Kurt didn't exactly look morning fresh himself, but at least on him it looked good.   
  
"What have you been doing since last night? Don't you ever sleep?"  
  
Her words seemed to put him at ease.  He padded around to the refrigerator and started pulling out various sliced meats.     
  
"I don't really sleep much, compared to others," he admitted.  "Today I slept in until seven.  I've been doing routines in the Danger Room with Logan for the last few hours.  This is a lunch break.."  
  
Adara blinked.  "You slept IN until seven in the morning?  How much sleep do you need?"  
  
He kept bringing out meat, then cheese, then condiments.  "Four hours, perhaps five.  I need more food than sleep."  
  
Adara chuckled. "You wouldn't know it by the look of me, but I need a lot of food, too. Save some of that meat and cheese for me, too. I'll need it in a few hours."  
  
 He turned to the counter, closing the brushed steel refrigerator door with a nudge of his leg.  "Compared to the hordes of students that will be here in half an hour, I am the least of your worry.  I have never seen anything spoil in this place.  Still, there will be plenty left for you."  
  
Most people would have just dumped the armload of food on the counter, but Kurt used his tail to help him place things neatly.  Then he brought out a bag of large rolls, grabbed one, and set the bag back before he even set down his own roll.  An uncharitable thought about his being anal-retentive came to Adara's mind, and she quickly banished it.  Better fastidious than sloppy, and she'd seen way too many slobs.  
  
"At least you are not one of these American women who peck at vegetables all day," he commented over his shoulder.  "I have never understood that.  It is one thing to do so during fasts, another to do it all the time."  
  
Ah yes, the rabbit food women." she smiled. "I'm one of the weird ones. I have trouble GAINING weight. Must be my fast metabolism. And if I fasted, I would get anorexic. Well, I might not be booty-call material, but I'm damn athletic. I'd like to see all those size D, J-Lo butt types try to keep up with me in a race." She raised one eyebrow for punctuation and stabbed her eggs unintentionally hard.   
  
He glanced up briefly from his sandwich making. "Every woman has her own beauty, and all beauty has its special place. I think, though, since I am used to more athletic women, that I find that beauty more attractive. On a personal level."   
  
Adara's eyes grew wide at this unexpected compliment, then she quickly recovered and changed the subject.. "Speaking of athletic...what do you do when you train? Looks like you work pretty hard."   
  
  
  
  
  
"It depends. As a unit, we train in a battle simulate. When I am alone, I work on bars and swing lines. Today Logan came down to me." A grin flashed on his face. "I think he wants to get me back from the time I beat him sparring last week. He wanted a rematch. I will never understand why, though. I have only beat him one time out of four."  
  
Adara had been listening intently through the whole explaination, and she was intrigued. "I'd like to make use of that room myself." she said. "If I'm going to be an effective member of this team, I need to learn all that stuff too." She rose and started putting stuff away. "Besides," she added, patting her butt once, "I can't let THIS get flabby."  
  
Kurt's heart gave a few extra beats when he heard those words. He was so frightened last night, frightened that he had scared this woman away, that she would not be able to trust him again. And she was the one who made mention of how she'd like to be a member of this team. He silently thanked God for covering up his own personal mistakes.  
  
  
  
"I'm sure the others will be as happy to hear that as I," he said, "though I cannot imagine you getting 'flabby' so soon. They will start you out alone, of course, to see what you can do. It will be like an obstacle course... somewhat." His grin had a mischievous edge to it as he remembered his first session, full of pits, slamming panels, and spinning floor tiles, all designed to confuse and overwhelm him, but not injure. "They won't bring out the missiles for at least a day or two."  
  
Adara was momentarily taken aback by the missle reference, but the shock was quickly replaced by her customary determination. "I got through Basic, I can handle this. This way I can get my edge back. AND vent my aggressions." She firmly but playfully kicked the refrigerator door shut and walked back to the table to finish her coffee.   
  
Kurt cocked his head.  " 'Basic'?"  
  
   
  
"Basic training," Adara clarified.  "Boot camp.  I was in the Air Force, emphasis on WAS."  
  
" Ah."  Kurt nodded.  "You will have to speak with Logan sometime.  I think you would have much in common.  He also uses the Danger Room for such vents.  I think he was military at some time, and he left with the same 'bad taste in his mouth' as you did."  
  
He was making two sandwiches; one out of a roll, and the other with sliced bread.  Both were being piled rather high.  Was he THAT hungry?  Then Adara heard someone else walk closer to the kitchen from outside.  Kurt finished the second sandwich, put in on a plate, and held it all out behind him with his tail.  Logan came into the kitchen, noted the plate, and immediately grabbed it.  
  
   
  
"What?" he demanded, looking at the rather huge sandwich.  "No pickle or chips?"  
  
   
  
Kurt laughed.  "You said sandwich!  You said nothing about chips!  I remember the bet distinctly!"  
  
   
  
Adara grinned over the rim of her cup at this exchange so they couldn't see her amusement. Again, she was amazed at how Kurt could balance the whole damn plate with his tail and never drop it. She could imagine him moonlighting in some restaurant somewhere.. She was somewhat intimidated by the macho Logan, but still found him likeable. She just made a mental note not to get on his bad side. Finishing her coffee, she got up to leave. "Looks like you guys need the place to yourselves. I'm looking forward to training, Kurt."(should she leave here, or will Logan and/or Kurt want to inform her about the battle simulation rooms? Will Logan get curious about her Air Force experience?  ((He probably will, as it's a sure bet his keen hearing picked up a lot of their conversation, but he won't ask any time soon.  He knows how much the military screwed him, and that he doesn't like to talk about it.  He'll probably figure she's the same way.  That's not to say he might not ask Kurt about it, though....))   Not sure whether to close this out or not!)  
  
 ((I think this should get played out for just a little longer, but not too much.))  
  
   
  
Logan grabbed an unopened bag of chips and grinned (or was that a leer?) back at Kurt.  "You don't lose much time, do you?  A nice, romantic stroll past the spinning blades of doom...."  
  
   
  
"Oh, yes, I'm very romantic that way," Kurt responded dryly.  He turned to Adara.  "Adara, this is Logan.  There are times when he fits his call sign too well."  
  
   
  
Adara set her cup in the sink.  "And what would that be?"  
  
   
  
"Wolverine," Logan answered, grabbing a bottle of some kind of soda out of the refrigerator.  "Don't usually go by it much anymore, though."  
  
   
  
"In any case, Adara, it is Herr Professor who sets up the first training programs," Kurt went on.  "I'm sure he would be happy to set it all up for you.  I warn you, though, you will probably have an audience.  This is something like an initiating."  
  
   
  
   
  
   
  
I think singing for an audience is more nerve-wracking." she half joked. "And I'll have to talk to the Professor about that. I'll admit I'm a little nervous, but I won't rest until I do it."  
  
::That's right::, Kurt thought.  ::She does have a lovely singing voice...::  
  
He thought about mentioning it, but then he glanced at Logan, ripping open the bag of chips, and thought better of the idea.  As good friends as he may be with this man, Logan didn't seem to have many social graces as far as the fraulines were concerned.  Not in his opinion, anyway.  
  
"Sehr gut," Kurt replied.  "Please, let us know when it is all worked out."  
  
Logan, his face buried in the refrigerator, called out, "Hey!  Where's the dill spears?  You eat them all again, elf?"  
  
Kurt rolled his eyes with an exasperated growl.  "Again with the complaining!  They're in there somewhere!"  
  
"Yeah, with one left in the bottle!"  
  
"I think I'd better go." Adara whispered so only Kurt could hear, then quickly stole from the room. 


	10. Chapter 10: Initiation

Adara nervously waited outside of the heavily-armored danger room door. Despite all the reassurances Xavier gave her about this being "an utterly painless, non-lethal first assessment of ability and caliber", she still felt a bit on edge. So what if she couldn't get more than a skinned knee? Everyone was WATCHING her, dammit! She paced about, flexing her hands. Unnoticed, tiny sparks occasionally shot out from her fingertips, extinguishing themselves harmlessly on the cold steel of the corridor.  
  
"Anytime you're ready, Xavier!" she called.  
  
Xavier's voice issued from an intercom right next to the door. "All is in readiness, Adara. Treat this as an obstacle course. Your only task is to touch the target on the far end with some part of your body, or with something you're currently in contact with. You have five minutes, and you'll be let known how much time you have left. Begin."  
  
The little red light on the door turned green, and the doors slid into either side of the round doorway. The Danger Room was a large space, about the size of an open warehouse, with an observation/control booth up at the far end. Even from her vantage, Adara could see Kurt, Ororo, Scott, and Logan watching from the control booth, along with Xavier. Fifteen or twenty feet off the ground, affixed to the wall on the far end of the room, was a red and white bull's-eye. She hoped she'd be able to reach up that far. She took a deep breath and jogged into the "empty" room, just waiting for the floor to drop away.  
  
Despite everything she'd heard and expected, the first obstacle still took her by surprise. Tentacles, as if from some robotic octopus, shot out of the floor to either side of her and whipped around her.  
  
(response. These tentacles are powered by myomer fibers; strands of memory metal which contract and expand with suitable application of current)  
  
Her first instinct was to panic, and Adara struggled like an animal in a steel trap. She screamed like a cougar on a midnight hunt as she fought to free herself. If Kurt thought he had seen the worst of her power before, that day in the river had been nothing. If that had been like a plasma ball, this was like the 4th of July. Her electricity kicked in fully, and she burnt her way through the tentacles, singing her hair in the process. Suddenly she was very thankful her uniform was fireproof.   
  
Unheard, high above her in the observation booth, the comments were already beginning.  
  
  
  
"Whoa! Not bad!" Wolverine laughed.  
  
  
  
"Yes, she's powerful, but I hope she starts pacing herself, or she's going to drop before she gets halfway across the room," Xavier mumbled.   
  
  
  
"Isn't that what you said about me?" Kurt asked, grinning.  
  
  
  
The tentacles flopped to the ground, some partially melted, others simply limp as string. Adara ran forward, kicking the remaining tentacles out of the way before she tripped on them. Trapdoors opened under her footsteps as she was pushing off from the floor; she barely cleared them in time. Suddenly a four foot square section of floor in front of her fell away just as she was putting her foot down, threatening to send her head-first into a pit.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" screamed Adara, followed by a string of cusswords that would have made Kurt cross himself twice. She jerked her foot out, panting and gritting her teeth. She spun around spastically looking in all directions for the next booby trap. She flipped off those behind the windows without meaning to, out of a primitive, spontaneous reaction.   
  
She's got a temper like yours, Wolverine," Ororo noted. "I'm not used to someone giving me the bird."  
  
  
  
"She'll need to control that temper," Scott added coldly. "That was a completely inappropriate reaction."  
  
  
  
Xavier put up his hand. "Give her the benefit of the doubt, Scott. We'll worry about her temper later." He pressed a button and activated the intercom. "Four minutes left, Adara."  
  
  
  
She'd spend an entire minute already? How time flies when your having fun. She started running again, but this time she could tell where the trapdoors were and when they were about to open.  
  
  
  
"She's figured out the trapdoor sequencing," Xavier said, nodding. "Good. Now for the magnets."  
  
  
  
A huge pile of what seemed to be ball bearings came speeding towards Adara. She changed direction, but the balls followed her as if she was the world's biggest magnet. And when they suddenly picked up speed the closer they got, she realized that's exactly what she was to them. They leapt on her and encased her in a shifting metal suit. Though she could move and breathe, the bearings weighed her down so much that she couldn't so much as walk.  
  
Trying not to panic, Adara got ahold of herself and decided to try something. She spun around, and activated her electricity. She kept spinning, reversing the magnetic forces with her own repelling force until the annoying bee-bee-like things released their hold and hit the walls. Many of them clung to the metal portions.   
  
When she stopped spinning, she realized three things. One, she wasn't the least bit dizzy, despite her rotational speed. That was good. Two, in repelling the metal bits, some she affected so much that they fired out like bullets. That was even better. But, three, now there was a twenty-foot tall metal wall in front of her. It didn't reach up to the ceiling, but it spread from wall-to-wall. It was a lot higher than she could jump, too slick and sheer to climb, and there wasn't a rope in sight.  
  
Adara wasn't running out of ideas so much as she was getting tired. She knew what she had to do to scale this wall and get over the gap. It was whip out the electric field again and FLOAT over it. But she was draining fast and just made it far enough to hang by her fingernails. Struggling, she pulled herself up with her elbows and knees and lay on the top like a napping panther in a tree. Boy, did she feel stupid!  
  
As she lay there, contemplating which move to make, she saw the still clinging bee-bees. Adara had enough energy left to call the balls toward the hole and make a bridge out of it. Sticking to the wall from the electricity, she climbed down and kept her own power generating out from her just enough to where the "bridge" kept its place and didn't re-attach to her. She was close to the target now, right on her right side. Using the last of her energy, she rolled over just enough to touch it with the tips of her fingers.   
  
A buzzer sounded and the target retracted from the wall.  
  
"That's all she wrote, kiddo!" Logan's voice called. "Take five."  
  
With a sigh, Adara slid off the wall and slumped on the floor. She wasn't so much out of breath as she was plain exhausted. She also didn't want to sound like a stupid, eager kid saying, "Did I make it? Did I make it? Huh? Huh?" She said not a word as she walked thankfully out of the room and met the group up in the sound booth. "I'm sorry I flipped you off." she apologized sheepishly.   
  
Scott looked non-plussed, but it was always hard to gauge his reactions with that visor. Logan blinked at her, then slowly reached into a pocket and brought out a ten dollar bill. Kurt smiled smugly, leaned against the wall, and rubbed his fingers together in front of Logan's face until the man placed the ten in his hand. A flush rose to Adara's face as she realized she was the object of some bet between the two of them.  
  
  
  
"Just what was that about?" she demanded. She spun to Logan. "Didn't you think I'd make it?"  
  
  
  
"No," Logan mumbled. "I just thought you wouldn't remember flipping us off, that's all." 


	11. Chapter 11: How Does Your Garden Grow?

It took a bright, sunny day like this one for Adara to realize just how much land the institute covered. There were many spaces where you could go to be alone, completely hidden from view, and just as many open spots for the kids to play in. Right now there was a soccer game going on the other side of the grounds; she could hear the occasional yell when the wind shifted.  
  
  
  
This time, she wasn't really interested in joining a game. It was enough for her to walk and think. She strode along a simple gravel path through a well-tended rose garden. They weren't just the red ones, though those were pretty. There were also the fiery yellow and orange Climbing Westerlands, trained up and over the archway. She took one blossom in her hand. A few of these could stand to be "dead-headed", and it would be nice to have some for her room.  
  
Adara was thinking about where she might find some rose clippers, or maybe just a sharp knife, when she smelled something. Rain? She looked up at the cloudless sky. Yes, it was definitely the smell of rain. Where was it coming from? As she stood there, she heard the patter of water from a distance away. She looked over to her right and was startled to see a small raincloud just ten feet off the ground. Behind the roses was a vegetable garden, and Ororo was watering half of it with a gentle, localized rain.  
  
Adara just stood there with her mouth open, temporarily forgetting the roses. So, the Mistress of Mother Nature had a soft side. She had to admit she was impressed. Adara stood quietly watching, not daring to interrupt and wondering if she should even BE there. Her eyes wandered to the vegetable garden and took in the rich colors of the blossoming foilage, her nose twitching with delight at the mineral smells of the soil. She wondered if any of the stuff was ripe and felt suddenly hungry. Then she got an idea. She could ask Storm if she knew where any clippers were.   
  
Storm turned around as Adara approached. "Oh, Hello, Adara. I didn't hear you back there."  
  
The raincloud kept up with its gentle, continuous shower as she spoke. Maybe all she had to do was "set and forget" instead of constantly maintaining control.  
  
"Nice garden you've got here," Adara complimented as she walked up, hands in her pockets. "I never came around this way before. What all do you have growing?"  
  
"Squash of all kinds, peas, potatoes, rhubarb, tomatoes, peppers. A little of everything. The students tend this garden as well. It's part of their schooling."  
  
" Any of it ripe yet?"  
  
"Oh, yes. Kurt's behind the hedge of peas over there collecting zucchini."  
  
She pointed to a long, thick row of snap peas, the vines of which had climbed up at least five or six feet, trained on a pole-and-string trellis. If Kurt was behind there, Adara couldn't see him through the green.   
  
As if on cue, she heard his voice. " *Ow* Verdammnt things...."  
  
Adara snickered at Kurt's cursing, then asked Ororo, "Can you tell me where I can find some clippers? I'd like to cut a few roses for a vase in my room." She made a mental note to also get a basket for some vegtables...she had the urge to cook a stew and make a salad. It had been so long since she'd had natural, earth grown food.   
  
Storm pointed behind the pea row again. "Kurt brought out the gardening tools with him. He should know where they are."   
  
Adara walked over to where Kurt was working and felt suddenly shy. It still wasn't easy for her to initiate conversation with him, even a simple question. But when she saw him tangled up in the vegetation, his butt sticking up in the air, she almost laughed. Thus emboldened, she said, "Did you bring any clippers I could borrow real quick, Kurt?"  
  
He straightened up and looked at her, confused. " 'Clippers'?"  
  
"Uh, something to cut roses with." she offered, blushing.   
  
"Rose cutters," he said. "Clippers means cutters. Yes, wait a moment."  
  
  
  
He teleported away. She could hear him reappear somewhere far behind her, apparently wherever he'd left the tools, but she could not see him. A few seconds later he arrived, rose clippers in his hand.  
  
  
  
"Which ones did you need cut?" he asked.  
  
Adara was flattered, but felt he was being TOO helpful. "Naw, it's ok. I can do it myself. If anything, I wanted to know if I could help you guys out here. I love to garden, too. I have a built in weed killer." she wiggled her fingers, the tiniest of sparks flying from them.   
  
"Weeds are not so bad with the mulch we put in, but I could use some help picking things. I don't know if you want to pick these." He pointed to the zucchini. "The plant is sticky."   
  
Adara smiled, whipping out a pair of gloves that had been stashed away in her pocket. "That's what these are for." she waved them. "I can always cut the roses later." She sat down and started picking zuchinnis. It was so pleasant just being outside, like she used to do years ago in Idaho before the military had taken over her life. The warm sun, the smell of the growing things, the pleasant company, just these simple things were intoxicating. It was very healing to be here. For a moment, she could pretend that she was back home. But then she looked over the foliage and saw the spade of Kurt's tail two rows over, sticking straight up like that of a ringtail lemur. She tittered loudly. Kurt's tail twitched, as if it had ears of its own.   
  
  
  
"What?" his voice asked.   
  
  
  
See in his tail twitch like that made her titter again, though she tried to stop it.  
  
  
  
"Ahh, I see." She could hear him smile behind his words. "It's this, isn't it?" His tail seemed to search around and home in on Adara, then stretch towards her voice. "Stop that, you! I need your help here!"   
  
  
  
The spade turned and gave a flippant gesture, then went back to trying to get to Adara. Kurt's hand went up, grabbed the tail, and yanked it down, struggling all the way.  
  
"You have an obnoxious friend there." she said, her eyes sparkling with mirth. She sat on her knees and kept her butt out of the naughty tail's way. She was so distracted by it that she found herself picking more weeds than vegetables, throwing them unconciously in the basket.   
  
"Yes, and it has no manners at all," he said with mock severity. "It is always getting me in trouble." He stood up with a large bowl of tomatoes and looked over to Adara, his head cocked with amusement. "That will be an interesting salad."   
  
She looked down, gasped "oh!" and immediately dumped out the weeds. "Kurt, it isn't just your tail that's a troublemaker." she joked, smirking. She continued picking up the zucchinis and dumping them in the bowl instead, feeling stupid.   
  
Kurt turned to his tail and sternly admonished it, waving his finger. "See? You have gotten me in trouble again! Bad tail! Bad, BAD tail!"  
  
  
  
His tail smacked him in the face.   
  
Adara laughed so hard she fell face first in the dirt, burying her hands until she had to come up for air. "And all I wanted to do is innocently come out here and pick some roses. I should have brought some 'Tail Off' too."   
  
Good God, was he FLIRTING with her? Amused as she was, Adara also felt a strange sense of exitement...and doubt. She NEVER let her guard down with any man like this, letting herself laugh like an airhead schoolgirl. Or show any positive emotion.   
  
Is your tail causing trouble again, Herr Wagner?" Ororo's voice drifted over the "pea hedge".  
  
"No," he called back, in a fine imitation of a child caught red-handed.  
  
"Maybe we should give it a time out."  
  
"But I'm very attached to it!"  
  
::Obviously:: Adara thought, picking up her bowl and stepping around them. She sensed Ororo wanted to be alone with him, so she left, somewhat reluctantly. And there was another emotion panging through her...was it...slight jealousy? Adara shook her head. ::Adara get a hold of yourself. You're just getting used to what this guy IS, remember? What's wrong with you?:: She trotted off to the house.   
  
The clippers still lay on the grass far behind her. 


	12. Chapter 12: Adara's Bad Day

Adara did not sleep well the previous night.  She kept having nightmares, none of which, thankfully, she could remember.  More than once she woke up, alone, in her room, sparks flying off of her and burning tiny holes in the flame-retardant blanket.  When she woke in the morning, the sun was at a higher slant than she expected.  What time was it?  She looked over at the clock radio and saw it was dead, scorches marring its previously perfect surface.  Had she shorted it out last night?  What time was it?  She got out of bed and went to her dresser to look at her wristwatch.  9:42am.  She was 45 minutes late for Danger Room practice.  Cyclops was going to kill her.  
  
(Finally back from vacation!)  
  
She debated even going in, since she knew she was in trouble. Her rumbling stomach justified a further delay, so she obeyed it and marched off for the kitchen to get a much-needed breakfast. She hoped she could eat in peace before Cyclops discovered her.     
  
   
  
  So much for her hopes.  She got halfway through her meal when old one-eye came into the kitchen.  He didn't seem to have expected to see her there, but he recovered quickly enough, his face settling into a look of restrained anger.  
  
   
  
Adara slammed her spoon down without the conscious intention of doing so, her eyes widening and her lips tightened before she responded. When she did, half-eaten breadcrumbs came spraying out of her mouth as she raised her voice.   
  
"I'm sorry! I shorted out my alarm clock last night in my sleep so I woke up LATE!"   
  
Her heart was hammering from anxiety and anger. It wasn't the first time this guy had raised her blood pressure.   
  
"The least you could have done was called down to the room to tell us, then, instead of stopping by for a leisurely meal," he answered coolly.   
  
Adara's nostrils flared and she stood up, her pupils shrunken to maddened pinpoints. "I CAN'T PRACTICE ON AN EMPTY STOMACH!" she yelled.   
  
At the sound of her voice, a couple of students looked in through the window into the kitchen. Another one peeked around the corner, but upon seeing Cyclops, hastily retreated. Cyclops, dressed in armored uniform from head to toe, pointed angrily at Adara.  
  
"Look! I've really had it with your temper!" he snapped. "You want to screech like some harpy, you do it somewhere else!"   
  
"FINE!" Adara shoved her chair into the table...hard. "FINE! I'll just practice on my OWN from now on, since you're too big of a baby to handle emotion!" She stalked out of the room, blindly heading outside...anywhere as long as it was away from Roger Ramjet.   
  
Scott just stared after her, apparently flabbergasted. The kids, stared, too, though with more of the "I can't believe she did that to him" shock than "I can't believe she did that to ME." She ran into Logan on the way out. He reached a hand out to gently stop her, touching her on the shoulder, but not grabbing.  
  
"Hey, babe, you okay?" he asked.   
  
Adara softened at the unexpected gesture of concern, particularly since it was coming from Logan. She didn't turn around, but replied in a quiet voice. "I'm fine. I just need some fresh air." She glanced quickly at him so he wouldn't see the tears that had replaced the anger, and walked off by herself into the garden. Cyclops made her so mad she couldn't see straight. Why was he so hard on her? Was he still pissed about her blasting him in self defense the first day? Why couldn't he accept her the way she was? Nobody else seemed to have a problem with it. Besides, she'd never been late before. Good thing Laser Eye wasn't her boss...he'd have fired her the second she set foot in the door.   
  
She needed to work off some of her aggression, so she started jogging around the perimeter of the grounds. The cool morning air soothed her, and her ponytail holder fell out after only a few steps as it had been shoved in loosely. Her long hair fanned and bounced all around her shoulders. Someone had once told her she should be an athlete because she had such good rhythm and endurance. Her feet fell lightly against the pavement until she felt the endorphin rush. Her mood lifted temporarily, Adara found a bench and plopped down, thinking about what she should do. She was distracted as her eyes fell upon the gardens she had tended with Kurt earlier. Now her head swam with chaotic emotions. She was reminded of his endearing and lightheartedly seductive flirting, and her heart flipped in her chest. The more they interacted, the more her head filled with images of him. She didn't want these feelings. They were too much. Adara rose off the bench and turned her back on the garden, and the memory. She walked back to the Institute to make good on her promise to practice working out alone.   
  
She went around the back way, doing her best to avoid any of the inhabitants. The students were in classes (boy, did she feel sorry for any of old Laser Eye's kids), the teachers in said classes. Except for Logan, maybe. She wasn't sure just what he taught, if he taught anything, but at least if she ran into him he wouldn't give her any trouble. Around the corner, just before she got to the door, she heard voices. She seized up. She knew those voices. Kurt and Ororo.  
  
  
  
"Why does he act like this so much?" Kurt was asking. "Half of the time, it seems something has angered him before he sees us for practice, and then he takes it out on us."  
  
  
  
"What is it every time?" Ororo grunted in reply. (Grunted? Just what were they doing?) "He misses Jean, but he doesn't feel like he can show it, so he just blows up instead. I think this morning's excuse was Adara. Honestly, I don't know why he didn't just go to see what was wrong instead of stewing. It's not as if she's ever been late before."  
  
  
  
"Your back is in knots, liebling. I don't think you fell right that last time. I'm not hurting you, am I?"  
  
  
  
"No."  
  
  
  
"Do you think she is well? She did not seem ill last night."  
  
  
  
"Who, Adara?"  
  
  
  
"Yes."  
  
  
  
"Logan said he saw her a little earlier, but she didn't look very good. It sounded more like stress than illness. Lower, Kurt. Right under the shoulder.... There...."  
  
Feeling guilty for listening, Adara was nonetheless somewhat relieved. At least THESE two didn't consider her some kind of delinquent problem child. But at the same time, Adara felt a pang of guilt at Storm's mentioning of Scott's being angry before meeting them. Adara knew she'd contributed to Scott's blowups. Never mind him missing Jean...it was obvious the man did NOT like her. Not for the first time, Adara wanted to run away. It also sounded like Ororo was getting a sensuous massage from Kurty boy. He had called her Leibling...apparently some German endearment. Since when had they been on a "leibling" basis? Strike two for Adara. That did it. She was leaving. At least for awhile. And she was getting the strongest urge to go shopping. There was no better therapy when one's life fell under Murphy's Law.   
  
Trying not to make any noise, she tiptoed around Ororo and Kurt's soft voices and went back to her room. She took a backpack and her purse and snuck out the back door, planning on walking into town. It was only a few miles. She wouldn't dream of stealing any of the cars, especially Cyclops' car...even more with the mood he was in. She'd seen Logan sneak One Eye's car out on a regular basis, and his motorcycle too. She'd also been there when the shit had hit the fan when Logan got caught. It wasn't a pretty sight.   
  
Adara walked out the gate and onto the short access road that led to the main road into town. She knew she was vulnerable, but she didn't care. She just wanted to get out. Besides, the morning was beautiful and fragrant with the smell of trees and grass. It felt so free walking in the fresh air. Her mind immediately started wandering. For some reason, catching Kurt alone with Ororo bugged her more now than the fight with Scott. She couldn't stop dwelling on it. ::He's just a man:: she reminded herself. ::Don't let him have so much power over you:: The self-reprimand was useless, however, as her obsession returned full force. Maybe she should just leave for good. She didn't stand a chance in hell with Kurt anyway, no pun intended. Ororo had obviously given him wings.   
  
Her feet plodded on. The road seemed endless. 


	13. Enter Magneto

Adara walked along lost in her tortured thoughts until a familiar and long unheard voice cut into her brain. The voice was soft but sudden, and caught her off guard as it always did. It was Shayda.   
  
    "Beautiful women shouldn't walk alone." he teased, the faintest trace of a smile in his voice. Adara wondered where he was. How long had it been since he'd spoken to her? Months? They hadn't been able to converse in the black ops base. She stood still and closed her eyes momentarily, saying his name softly into the wind.   
  
"Shayda..."  
  
    "I have missed you."  
  
"Why are you talking to me now?" Adara asked out loud, since her telepathy wasn't as advanced as his. Besides, she was alone so there was no humans around to hear her.   
  
    "I would like to compensate you for the past." he said in sincere, measured words. "I'm sorry I haven't been there for you. Our son misses you. I would like for us to be together again, as we once were."  
  
Adara's hopes rose, but so did her red flags. "But why now? Why didn't you make any efforts to help me at that cursed base?"  
  
"I couldn't risk a rescue, you know that. Your people are well aware of our presence. You didn't need me to get free of that place, did you? And now I have found you again. Now we must talk."  
  
    "I'm here...shoot."  
  
"No, I mean talk physically, in a place I will meet you."  
  
Adara's blood pressure shot up like a rocket. "Where??? How the hell are you gonna disguise yourself?"  
  
There was a pause before Shayda spoke again. "At the small eating facility in the town you are going to. Sirius Bistros, I believe it's called?"  
  
Adara chuckled. "Yeah. That's it. Perfect pun, isn't it?"  
  
"You humans and your plays on words." Shayda joked back. "I will be following you in the ship. I will teleport to a safe place where I can disguise myself, then meet you at the restaurant. Don't worry, you will recognize me."  
  
"I can hardly wait."  
  
Shayda couldn't tell if Adara was being sarcastic or not. He cut the link, and smiled to himself. Everything was going as planned. She was as easy to manipulate as ever. And yet...part of him felt guilty for doing so. He really DID have affection for her.  
  
The first thing he had to do was lure her in. The second thing he had to do was eliminate the black ops. There was nothing Shayda hated worse than competition.   
  
Adara got to the cafe first. She was glad of the dim lighting and sparse customers who sat in dark corners, unaware of her presence. She found the furthest back table she could and sat nervously, shaking slightly. She ordered a bagel, but it tasted like cardboard. She couldn't believe he said he'd actually be coming in person...physically. This would be a first in a public place. All the other times she'd met him had been in dream states.   
  
If Shayda was anything, he was punctual. He had followed her well apparently. He came walking in smoothly, a smirk on his now human, handsome features, only his eyes slightly betraying the real alien underneath the disguise. He was still bald and dressed in a black pantsuit. Adara didn't know whether to giggle or gape in awe. He was damn good at knowing the men's fashion trends. Black pointed boots topped off the outfit, and he wore a strange purple ring around the third finger of his right hand. Adara just stared. (think a bald David Bowie in the Man Who Fell to Earth, or the villan from Nemisis;)  
  
"Oh my God, it's really you!" she said softly as he sat down. "I can't believe this." She felt she would cry at any moment. So much for her guard. She would still need to be convinced by his words before she trusted him though.   
  
Shayda's glittering eyes never left Adara's as he picked up her quivering hand and kissed it softly, his lips leaving a strange, warm energy upon it that made her tingle all over.   
  
    "Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as your people say." he said in a smooth low voice with just the barest trace of an accent. Adara struggled not to be put under his spell, and knew she was failing dismally.   
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
    "We have some catching up to do." he continued, smiling and leaning closer as he took both her hands in his. "The conditions have been changed in order for us to be...closer. Your world is changing. OUR world is changing. The veils are being lifted. Soon,  it will be possible for you to live with me, if you still want it."  
  
Adara's eyes grew even wider. It was too good to be true! Was it?  
  
"I...I don't know." she stuttered. "You appear out of the blue and just say 'take me, I'm yours.'"  
  
    "Would you like to see our son again?" he proffered, tilting his head. "I can take you to meet him tonight. I would now, but he is on another planet doing an errand for me. Just think about it, Adara. That is all I'm asking at present."  
  
Before she could answer, he leaned over and kissed her on the mouth gently, sending a shockwave through her body that made her knees quiver. Then he moved his mouth close to her ear and whispered, "I'll be waiting." As quickly as he had arrived, he stole out of the room. Adara sat watching him leave in total shock. Her mind was too full to think. She could still feel his kiss, hear his voice, see his face. And she didn't have room for anything else.   
  
If she did, she might have noticed she was being watched.   
  
   
  
The man was not obvious about it.  He was actually quite subtle and casual, drinking tea in the back as he read a hardbound classic.  An older, white-haired gentleman, his face partially obscured by his leather driving cap, who would have been thoroughly unremarkable if not for a certain charisma.  A certain regal bearing, which he, for once, effectively hid behind his simple disguise.  
  
   
  
His cell phone, thoughtfully set to "vibrate", requested attention.  He answered it, becoming just one more person in the bistro having a one-sided conversation.  
  
   
  
"Hello, my dear," he said, his voice tinged with a British accent.  "Have you found anything new?"  His face hardened a bit, and he looked at Adara again.  "Yes, I know exactly who they're after....  No, let's let them tip their hand.  Her 'friend' just left, and he's as interesting as she is."  
  
Adara's senses perked up and drew her attention to the shadowy figure talking on the phone across the room. There was something unusual about him, but she wasn't sure what. He looked pleasant enough; a nice older gentleman sitting serenely in the booth having a cup of tea. But he looked a little too much like he was trying not to show his alertness. A certain stiffness in his sitting position and the cautious glances he threw her way...she hoped he wasn't working for one of her enemies. Worst of all, if he was, he had no doubt just seen the conversation between her and Shayda. He had the most shocking blue eyes, what she could see of them as they flashed in the dark during his discreet glances. Adara wondered if she should leave, but curiosity was getting the best of her. She decided to sit and finish her meal...and see what happened. -------------  
  
He finished his conversation quickly enough, then went back to his book. After a minute or two, the man apparently hit a stopping point or ran out of tea, because he got up to leave.  He caught Adara's eyes and smile politely, inclining his head and tapping the brim of his cap as he left.  It was just the kind of simple "Good Afternoon" gesture she would expect from a gentlemanly stranger, so why was she still so suspicious?    
  
::Shayda's here,:: a tiny little voice said in the back of her mind. ::Isn't that suspicious enough, you stupid cow?::  
  
The little warning voice was usually right.  It had a good track record in the past.  But the rest of her was saying "Shayda's here.  Everything will be fine, now," and she just couldn't decide on which statement to believe. God, why couldn't she keep her thoughts straight?  She plopped a five on the table for a two dollar bagel and moved outside.  Keep walking.  Maybe it'll help.  She walked by a group of older, pudgy housewives, a skateboarding nuisance, a pair of policemen and their mark, who was trying to talk her way out of a parking ticket, a college student lost in his CD player.  She didn't really look at any of them, just registered their presence.  Keep walking.  
  
She felt a sting in her back.  She whirled around, but there was no one that close to her.  Then her knees went weak.  Oh, God, no: a dart.  They found her.  She stumbled forward and leaned on a mailbox, fighting the numbness that inched its way up her back.  One of the two policemen looked up from his duty, then tapped his partner on the shoulder and pointed Adara's way.  
  
"Ma'am?" the second one asked.  "Are you all right?"  
  
She tried to say something, but she couldn't.  She couldn't even stand up. She slowly slid down the mailbox.  One of the policemen spoke into the radio mike he had clipped to his lapel, something about a seizure.  The other one ran to her side.  He held her up as best he could, his hands around her back.  As she lost more strength, he picked her up in a fireman's carry and started moving.  They were trying to help her, Adara thought dimly.  They didn't understand.  What would the ops do to them?  They wouldn't make a scene by attacking the police, would they?  It was hard to keep her eyes open, but she did her best.  
  
The policeman gently laid her in the back of the squad car, then he and his partner were off, driving somewhere.  Soon Adara couldn't see any buildings in the windows, just the occasional tree.  And then they pulled off the main road.  Alarms went off in her head, but she couldn't do anything about it. Oh, God, tell me this isn't what it looks like....  
  
Her worst fears were confirmed when the squad car slowed down, then stopped, and she saw Commander Bethel's unsmiling, impatient face looking down at her from outside.   The driver stepped out, leaving his door partially ajar, and saluted Commander Bethel.  A set-up, and she'd fallen for it.  As if she could have avoided it.  Her body was completely paralyzed by now.  She couldn't blink, she couldn't swallow.  She could barely breathe.  
  
Suddenly Shayda was there, and he was not pleased.  His appearance shocked not only Adara, but Commander Bethel and the fake policeman as well.  Bethel recovered quickly, though.  He shifted position, and Adara figured he might be going for his gun.  
  
"So you're this mysterious 'Xadar' David keeps talking about, huh?" Bethel growled.  
  
"Just what do you think you're doing, Commander Bethel?" Shayda asked evenly.  
  
"What the hell does it look like we're doing?  What you couldn't."  
  
"I didn't go to all this trouble to fog her just so you could take advantage of it."  
  
Adara's body might not have been functioning, but her mind was screaming...and mostly at Shayda. ::SHAYDA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? I TRUSTED YOU!!!::   
  
She glared at all of them, wishing she were in one piece so she could zap the whole group. She just KNEW her old flame's offer was too good to be true! It was obvious now he was in league with the earth ops unit. Had he been using her all this time? ::You suck as both a father AND a husband!:: she added with fervor. ::You'll pay for this!::  
  
She lay back, feeling sick and wishing she were dead. How could any of this get worse?  
  
"Y'know something?  I really don't give a flying fuck what you wanted," Bethel retorted, getting much closer to Shayda than was polite.  "You knew where she was, didn't you?  You just didn't tell us.  All this 'atmospheric interference' garbage --"  
  
Shayda gave a sigh that was both weary and incredibly condescending at the same time.  "Commander Bethel, I am tired of arguing with you every step of the way.  You have disrupted months of planning.  You will hand her over, or --"  
  
Bethel suddenly whipped his gun out of its holster and aimed it at Shayda's head.  Adara knew Bethel's reflexes, knew he was all too willing to kill. But, for some reason, all he did was aim it.  He didn't pull the trigger. And as Shayda again sighed and shook his head, and Bethel's face went blank, she began to understand why.  Bethel's subordinate, the fake policeman who stepped out of the car, grabbed for his gun, then also stopped with a similarly confused look on his face.  
  
"Predictable," Shayda mumbled.  "So predictable."  He looked into the car, but not at Adara.  He must have been looking at the other "policeman". "You.  Get her out of the car, and be careful about it.  I don't want her damaged."  
  
Damaged!  Like she was an object!  Now that Shayda was concentrating on at least three men, perhaps more, Adara could think clearly for the first time in what seemed like days.  God, how long had he been at work on her mind?    
  
The policeman opened the passenger side door and slowly withdrew Adara, bending down low as he gently took her in his arms.  
  
Softly, too softly for Shayda to hear, the policeman whispered, "Hold on. Help is coming."  
  
Adara could just barely move her eyes, shifting her gaze a fraction of an inch to see the policeman's face.  He was calm, perhaps a bit cold and professional, but he wasn't robotic.  He wasn't under Shayda's control. What was going on here?  No sooner than Adara was pulled free of the car, then suddenly the entire vehicle rose up and literally wrapped around Bethel, the soldier, and Shayda.  Adara caught Shayda's started look just before he was buried under a mass of metal, twisting and flowing like softened clay under invisible hands.  An older gentleman, that same one who tapped his cap to Adara in passing, stood a few feet away, his arm raised.  
  
"Oh, no, I don't think so," he said softly.  "She's not going with either of you."   
  
Adara didn't know WHAT to feel at this point. The drug was starting to pull her under, and she could only focus on one thing now...this mysterious stranger who appeared to be saving her life. His manner would certainly indicate so. Who WAS he? At the same time, his show of power was terrifying. How had he slammed the car into the tree like that? And why was he saving her? Right now, all she wanted to do was curl up and die. She'd been through enough. If she didn't recover consciousness, she would be all too grateful.   
  
Everything blended into a disjointed haze after that. She was carried, then dropped. She heard gunshots, she heard angry, shouted words in Shayda's voice. Orange flames soared overhead. At one point she looked into the face of her supposed rescuer, who smiled gently and said something about resting. Then there was blessed silence and darkness, to which she willingly surrendered.  
  
When she awoke, she was in bed in a steel chamber. At first she thought she had been brought back to Xavier's mansion, and that she was in medbay. But, no, it didn't look quite the same. For one thing, hers was the only bed here.   
  
" You're awake," a feminine voice said. "Good."  
  
She snapped her head to the left and saw a woman with yellow eyes, red hair, and cobalt-blue skin. Adara blinked. Was this lady NUDE? It was hard to tell with those scales "tastefully covering" her.  
  
The next thing she noticed was her resemblance to Kurt. They looked like the same race. Could they be related? Adara still felt disoriented. She wondered if this was another alien race and she was on their ship. This alien woman's vibrations were strange and all mixed up. She also exuded power and grace, reminding Adara of a cat.   
  
"Where am I?" she said weakly, not caring how predictable it sounded. The metal was interacting with her magnetic fields and causing her hair to stick to the table and spread out with static. There was too much metal in this room, way too much. She could feel the electricity pinging off her body all over like annoying little needles, and wished she could get up. But she was still too weak. What if she set herself on fire? A fine sheen of sweat brought about by anxiety covered her and softened the electricity somewhat, however. She stared at the strange woman and waited for her to answer.   
  
The blue woman cocked her head, her face strangely emotionless and unreadable. She extended an arm carefully toward Adara's head and received a tiny electric shock for her trouble.  
  
"Interesting," she mused, retracting her hand with languid grace. "We hadn't counted on your body reacting so strongly."   
  
Her voice was strangely amplified and modulated, as if from more than one person. She stood up.   
  
"I can see this is painful for you. Hold on. Eric should be able to take care of this."  
  
She moved to a wall and touched an intercom. Immediately a man's voice answered, the same smooth, cultured voice that belonged to her rescuer.  
  
"Is she awake?" the man asked.  
  
"Yes, but physically she's not reacting well to her surroundings," the woman replied.  
  
"I'll be right there."  
  
The woman turned back to Adara. "As to your question, you're currently hundreds of miles away from your enemies." Her lips lifted in a slight, oddly chilling smile. "Of which you have many, it seems."  
  
Adara winced at the shock she had given the stranger, and rolled her eyes at the reference to enemies...not out of sarcasm but confirmation.   
  
"Rebel's my middle name." she smiled slightly, wondering if the woman's reference was in Adara's favor or not. She sensed there were many layers to the stranger's psyche, and the barest trace of a vulnerability she was not letting on. Nonetheless, her graceful movements had an undercurrent of tension and watchfullness, as though she were constantly poised to spring at any perceived threat. Adara hoped she didn't consider HER one. Although the blue lady's presence was somewhat reassuring, it wasn't exactly comforting. Despite Adara's fascination with her, she actually gave her the creeps. And now she felt new tension as she heard this "Eric's" voice again. Nice and gentlemanly as he sounded, all her senses went on edge. She had had too much adventure for one day. And she'd been rescued twice in a short period of time. Was this guy as trustworthy and good as Xavier, or was he just another potential enemy? For the moment though, Adara just wanted to get rid of the annoying static and get out of this claustrophobia-inducing room.   
  
Her savior walked in bare moments later. He was dressed entirely in black. a tall slender man who must have been in his late 60s. Adara could feel everything somehow bending around him. Every electrical and magnetic field in the room suddenly fell in quiet order, as if standing at attention. The static in her head lessened to a minor hum as he drew near. He reached out his hand, like God reaching out to Adam in the Sistine chapel, and the last remnants of static dissipated. Adara finally felt that she could move without shooting off sparks. She started to sit up, and the man put his hand behind her back to give gentle assistance.  
  
"I had no idea your talent would react with such volatility to your surroundings," he apologized. "Please forgive my short-sightedness. Would you like to move to another room, perhaps? One with a slightly lower iron content?"  
  
"Yes, thank you." Adara said softly, staring up at him. She could tell right away that he didn't need to put on big displays to show his power. It emanated from him in quiet but intense waves. She was both amazed and disturbed by his presence. Physically, he looked strong and handsome for his age, his face noble, and at present, kindly. At least for now Adara knew she could respect him, if not trust him. "I'm afraid I'm a walking magnet." she elaborated with her charchteristic smirky smile, then added, "Thank you for getting me out of that situation back there. I used to beg my alien ex-boyfriend to come here...looks like he's staying awhile." Adara lowered her head, feeling mixed emotions about Shayda's unexpected permanent grounding. She wanted him to answer for his lies and using her, but she didn't want him dead. Commander Bethel's demise, on the other hand, had been a welcome parting of the ways. Her next worry was what her son was going to do and say when he found out his father was dead, killed at the hands of a powerful mutant no less. Yet she couldn't be angry with this Eric...he had saved her life. And he didn't know about the relationship she'd had with Shayda. This guy was obviously a mutant leader...she knew that much for certain. But he didn't run a school like Professor Xavier. This place looked more like a giant lab. Describing it as "minimalist" would be an understatement. If she had to walk around here much longer she was going to need snow goggles. The unbreaking white and silver of the floors, ceiling and walls shot through with bright white light was blinding her. Were there any rooms here that actually looked normal? That had furniture? Where did these guys go to eat? To sleep? She started to feel homesick for the Institute. More than that, she hoped she wasn't being held here against her will.   
  
Eric looked to the blue woman as Adara slowly stood away from the bed. He said nothing, and apparently didn't need to.  
  
"Pyro is currently outside, standing watch," she answered his unasked question. (Was he a telepath, like Xavier, or did these two just know each other that well?) "Did you want me to summon him?"  
  
"Not right now," he replied. He turned back to Adara. "I think some introductions are in order. My name is Eric, and this--" he motioned to the strange woman "--is Mystique."  
  
"Adara," Adara replied in kind, shaking his hand. "And thank you for... whatever you did back there."  
  
"I have precious little patience with bullies, Adara." He smiled, but there was something very cold in his eyes. "Especially when they have government funding."  
  
He was leading her out of the hellishly metallic room, leaving Mystique behind. The door opened and shut behind them without a touch. They were walking down a metal corridor, seamless and smooth.   
  
"I have even less patience with manipulators," Eric continued. "Whoever this 'Xadar' is, some of his talents are rather obvious, and he hasn't been putting them to good use. Apparently, he was using the military to get to you, and I consider that nothing short of treason."  
  
" 'Treason'?" Adara asked back, confused.  
  
He looked directly at her. "For a fellow mutant to ally himself with the blackest of military operations, yes. I consider that racial treason. I have had entirely too much experience with black operations, my dear."  
  
She stopped and faced him, immediately defensive. "I believe an explaination is in order." she said, struggling to keep her voice level. "I was kidnapped and held by them against my will. And I didn't know Shayda was allied with them." She scowled and looked down at the floor. "I just found that out today." There was a pause. "I hate the military and government too. They kicked me out because they found out not only what I am, but my relationship with the aliens. Someone I trusted betrayed me and told them everything. So now they think I'M a traitor to my world. And from what I've seen, I'd rather not be a part of it anyway."  
  
He put a fatherly hand on her shoulder as they walked. "Adara, perhaps I should explain further as well. If I thought for the briefest moment that you were there willingly, I certainly wouldn't have trusted you enough to bring you here. I've seen the manipulations. I've heard the lies they use to get you to trust, the lies they use to keep you, and the lies they tell everyone else so that you can't leave without being shot. Humanity has used them since the beginning of time. I have been, as you say, 'kicked out' for a very long time myself."  
  
They reached a T intersection.  
  
"One way leads to a natural cavern, and the other outside. The cavern has as many comforts of home as I could provide on short notice, including heat. It is a bit cool outside, but it is open and far away from anyone that might bother us. Which would you prefer, my dear?"  
  
Adara's mouth opened slightly as she was taken aback a bit by his last question. She wondered if it was a threat or a joke referring to an inhospital environment outside. Either way she had to play it cool, so she said, "The cavern, I believe." She wondered what else was down there.   
  
He inclined his head. "As you wish." They made a right turn and kept going. "It might interest you to know we had been investigating Commander Bethel's operation for a week before we discovered you. The man had connections to a certain enemy of mine, which could only mean he was up to no good."  
  
Everything Eric said was a droll understatement. The man was like a strange counterpart to Xavier. Charles viewed the world as a kindly father, gentle and willing to take everyone under his wing. By contrast, Erik had an aristocratic, jaded air about him, as if the world had very little to offer than he had not seen before. A father, yes, but not one who exuded universal love; not by a longshot. This was an aging warrior.  
  
"We knew they were gathering to 'retake' someone, but I had no idea who until I saw you and your 'friend' for myself. Even then, I wasn't certain which one of you was the target... and which was the Judas goat."  
  
The temperature was rising as they walked. Adara hadn't noticed that it was a bit chilly until the warmth slowly seeped into her bones. It was a welcome change.  
  
"You mentioned that your 'boyfriend' wasn't human," he mentioned casually, as if this was as normal an occurrence as, say, having a boyfriend from out of state. "That would certainly explain a fair amount. I'm impressed that he could pass as human so well. He certainly has the attitude down...."  
  
Adara swallowed nervously, then gave a short, barklike laugh without humor. "EX boyfriend now." she said. "He led me along all my life before I found out the truth. I can forgive Bethel and the military. I CAN'T forgive him. THAT'S personal. I still love him...but I hate him even more." She kept it at that, wondering how much she should tell him about her past. She still didn't trust Eric, despite his taking her under his wing for the moment. The pieces were falling into place as far as the position he took, which confused her even more. She felt the same way about the evils of the black ops and the way they fooled and used people to get what they wanted. And she wondered if he felt the same way SHE did about stupid, immature humans in general. Still...there was something about him that bothered her, something she couldn't put her finger on just yet.   
  
The metal lining of the hallway abruptly ended, replaced by living rock. They walked down a metal ramp into a large cavern. The source of the heat wasn't immediately obvious; Adara imagined it must have been geothermal. There were chairs and cots, all bright steel, though the cots had sleeping bags on them for padding. There was still a fair amount of metal in here, but it wasn't lined with it. It was withstandable.  
  
Eric nodded absently as he strode down the ramp. "Bad enough to manipulate. Unforgivable to use someone's love. He seemed to have quite a bit of power at his disposal. I don't suppose you'd know anything about the 'men' he had fighting for him? I thought they were some sort of genetic constructs or cloning experiment. And his transport...." He sighed and shook his head. "Though it's a relief that the design wasn't Terran, it's just as disturbing to see in any enemy's hands...."  
  
He gestured and pulled a chair over for Adara.  
  
"Thank you, Sir." Adara smiled and sat down. "Shayda's crewmembers are indeed clones. You may have noticed that they're somewhat like his race, but more like plastic dolls. That's what they're for, puppets on strings that are pulled by the puppet master. They've "escorted" me to the ship more times than you can count. And the ship is run by electromagnetic energy, much of the same stuff that runs through me." She stopped, wondering if she should tell him about her implant or not. If this guy couldn't be trusted, he might use it to control her later.   
  
A metal panel slid open in the wall and a metal teapot silently glided out.  It poured its warm, but not quite steaming, contents into two mugs while Eric casually chatted.  
  
"So can I assume that's why he was so interested in you?  Similar powers?  I have a difficult time believing there was any genuine feeling behind his attentions, all things considered.  Do you take sugar or cream?"  
  
   
  
Both please." (what a gentleman, she thought)"I only wish his interest in me were that complimentary." Adara sighed. "But I'm afraid I am nothing more than a breeder."  
  
For a moment, the teapot froze in mid-air, the contents long since poured.  
  
Then it slowly drifted back to its place as another panel opened up, this  
  
time on the floor. Adara glanced at the sound of metal against metal,  
  
however soft, and saw a moderately large pit in the metal floor, about the  
  
size of a large cooler, filled with a conglomeration of ice and perishables.  
  
A small steel container glided out, and poured a tablespoon or two of cream  
  
into Adara's cup as silver sugar tongs dropped in a lump of their namesake.  
  
"A breeder." Eric's voice was measured and polite, but the tension was  
  
still there. "Politeness does not allow me to pursue further on this  
  
subject, Adara, but I very much hope that you are well. I had no idea that  
  
the humans were attempting to... breed us like dogs."  
  
Her eyes had gone wide at the automatic tea party contraptions, then widened momentarily even more at Eric's reference. She corrected him. "Not the humans, Sir, the aliens. And apparently that's all I was to them. I am as well as I'm going to be." She sipped her tea carefully to test for temperature, then tipped her cup more generously when she found it was hot, but tolerable. She lowered her cup and added, "Your home is very impressive."  
  
Her eyes had gone wide at the automatic tea party contraptions, then widened  
  
momentarily even more at Eric's reference. She corrected him. "Not the  
  
humans, Sir, the aliens. And apparently that's all I was to them. I am as  
  
well as I'm going to be." She sipped her tea carefully to test for  
  
temperature, then tipped her cup more generously when she found it was hot,  
  
but tolerable. She lowered her cup and added, "Your home is very  
  
impressive."  
  
He smiled and inclined his head to her as he poured his own cup. "Just be  
  
thankful you weren't here last year. You wouldn't have found it anywhere  
  
near so accommodating."  
  
"Is that an understatement?" she teased dryly, a slight twinkle in her eye.  
  
"May I be so bold as to ask for clarification?"  
  
His smile faded. "This is the remnants of an old military base. The man in  
  
charge of it had delusions of genocide. With the funds of the United States  
  
government backing him up, he created a device that would have rid the world  
  
of all mutantkind." There was a momentary upturn at the corner of his  
  
mouth. "We're one of the reasons it backfired. Surely you remember the day  
  
last Autumn when the entire world collapsed in pain?"  
  
For a moment, Adara's breath quickened and her face went white. A military base? That's the LAST place she wanted to be in, regardless if the project had been abandoned or not. Even more so that her own country's government was backing it up. Then her eyes narrowed and she growled slightly, remembering old wounds. "The black ops was behind it, too." she said more to herself than him. "And yes, I felt the attack that day, wondering what the hell it was. It felt like my head was caving in. DAMN them..." she trailed off, shaking her head and setting her teacup down. "It's even worse than I thought. Forget hating them, I'd like to destroy them. It isn't just my life they've ruined."  
  
Eric nodded.  "It would appear we are of the same mind."  He looked up and around the cavernous room.  "Far to many of our kin have found their way into places like Alkali lake, never to return.  I've seen it happen too many times.  And I've sworn I'll never let it happen again."  He took a sip of his tea, his eyes distant.  "Never again."   The words "never again" were as telling as his 1000 yard stare.  He might have been old enough to have survived the "final solution"... but Adara couldn't see either of his forearms under his sleeves, and she sure as hell wasn't going to ask.   He looked back at her, and that quasi-fatherly look returned to his face. "I don't know what family or home you may have, Adara, but I daresay they're under surveillance, as I'm certain Commander Bethel wasn't working alone. It wouldn't be safe to return to either right now."  
  
She was about to tell him she was from Xavier's mansion, but some instinct kicked in, a little warning voice, that warned her not to. "I have no home." she said. "Not now, not ever. I'm a lone wolf."   
  
Eric made a casual gesture to the surroundings.  "Spartan though they may be, you are welcome to stay.  We will be moving on to more comfortable quarters when things calm down a bit.  I can guarantee you'll be far safer with us than if you went out on your own again.  I've become quite accomplished in the art of avoiding detection, for myself and for my compatriots." 


End file.
